Every Sunset
by simba317
Summary: Post DAG. Eric/Sookie. Every day she yearns for the promise of sunset. Another great struggle is building around the life of Sookie Stackhouse, greater and older than even 1000 year old Viking vampire, Eric Northman. Feelings? Oh boy. What's a girl to do?
1. Prologue: Beauty of the Beast

**Disclaimer:** Do not own the Sookie Stackhouse novels. I'd love Eric for Christmas. Thank you, Santa. If not Eric, how about Gambit, Sawyer or Tim Riggins?

**Author's Notes**: So when I read DAG and the line about how Sookie thought of Eric every day the sun set, I was like 'plot bunny!' and I know there's tons of X-fans out there who want to skin me alive…Sorry!

I've decided to use song titles for all the chapter titles…I suppose it's a bit of an homage to True Blood, lol and it'll probably clue you in on my musical taste. This one is a song that I love very much and it's called "Beauty of the Beast". It's by one of my favourite bands, Nightwish. I really feel it captures Sookie's mindset at the end of DAG, what she must feel, her detachment, her loss of innocence, her ideas of being a good Christian versus her life, her descent fully into the supe world, the loss of the fairies from the world and her feelings for Eric. Plus, it's crazy epic…which is what I want to achieve with the fic…a bit of an epic. You can find the song by searching 'Nightwish Beauty of the Beast' at YouTube and if you google the same, you'll find the lyrics.

I had also considered "If I Could Fall in Love" by Lenny Kravitz…but felt it limited what I wanted to accomplish with a prologue and didn't really fit, because of how I resolve this piece. "Down in a Hole" by Alice in Chains also flashed into my mind for a second, but I pushed it aside because it didn't sustain the tone of the prologue and was too depressive to set the stage for an entire story with multiple chapters…well, I hope. I know I have people who will kick me off my ass to actually write this sucker.

Funny fact: Did you know that if you googled 'sunset times Louisiana', the first choice you get from one of those sunset/sunrise time sites are for Shreveport? That made me smile.

* * *

**PROLOGUE: BEAUTY OF THE BEAST**

Every day the sun sets with practiced patience of millennial ease. The sun dips below the horizon and the world is doused in pitch darkness. Sight is gone, our most valued sense. We are blind, bumbling over the world we claim in light, completely lost. Unknown enemies lurk in the dark and we are absolutely clueless to their existence. We hear them too late and we are finished. Our lives are expended with the snap of string, ephemeral, insignificant.

We want to cling to light as our hope. We can cling all we want, it is still hopeless.

It has been this way for as long as there have been men. We like to think the night belongs to us, but we would be wrong. For all of our bright lights and brilliant technology, we are still blind. We have never conquered the night. Neither in the sprawling cities where a glow of purple smog hangs in the night, artificially attempting to block the dark to keep us safe, nor here in Bon Temps. Bon Temps, Louisiana, my beloved backwater, where the dark can still truly touch you. Lights in the darkness are small beacons, electricity is godsend, but it can't put out the sky's depth. None of us can.

The dark is still real, deep and powerful. It still clings to you, still crawls. Here you know with absolute certainty, the night is not yours.

For their greatest sense is not sight. Smell and sound rule their senses. We can never rule in their natural law.

Every sunset brings the blackness to my world. I am blind. I could very well be hopeless. I could be expended. But I breathe it in. I revel, for he is the night. He is not my first, but he might just be my last.

They tell you to fear the dark, but every sunset, I feel hope.

Every time the sun vanishes below the horizon in a brilliant blaze of last glory, I get the urge from somewhere in my heart to jump into my car and drive. _Drive to Shreveport, don't stop_. Drive, racing the wind, like only he can. Go see him, breathe him, feel him. It streams over me like a wave I just don't want to clamp down. I can almost taste the distant memories. They're fleeting things, always gone. Nothing more than a wish. He's not that…not anymore…but maybe I want something else now?

I always allow myself to feel this, if only for a moment, just before the final spark burns out, hoping this is the last day, that the urge will expend itself at last.

It never dies.

It lives within me with inevitability. _One day you'll drive there and you won't stop, can't stop, shouldn't stop. _

It terrifies with more power than the night ever held over me.

I know with more certainty than ever before, I do not and cannot control the night. I do not own the night. He does. And he may own more of that than I can imagine and more of me than I'd like.

I had handed him the helm to my life for a moment that night in Russell Edgington's mansion. He had come through for me, protected me. I surrendered control to him then. I think I desperately need control over my own life and these past weeks, I have had no control whatsoever. It terrifies me.

The things I want to hold constant are anything but. The older I get, the more I see this. Bill wasn't who I thought he was, wasn't who I wanted. My dear Gran sure as hell wasn't who I thought she was either. Who can I trust?

Every time I think I could trust him, he pulls a stunt, like the marriage. And I don't have control. I wanted so badly to stick it to him, pour my drink on his shirt, slap him, yell at him, turn on my heel and run out of Fangtasia, but instead I'm sitting at his table for an entire evening. I just wanted him there for a moment. How can I run to the one thing that takes away my control the most?

Why do I turn to him more and more? I wish I could dispel the longing I had for him these past few weeks. I've never needed a man in my life. I've never really had one either. But I found myself wishing for him to be there for me when the FBI came to my house. _Eric would know what to do. _That thought pounded into my brain as they asked me questions. He would protect me, he would keep me safe. He doesn't just invade my thoughts at sunset anymore. Little things remind me of him, like my the flawless skin or my red nail polish.

What terrifies me more is my wanting to rely on Eric. Eric, who thinks of nothing but his own skin. Eric who could never put me first. Eric who is nothing more than a dream, a fairy tale. My Eric isn't this Eric and my Eric wasn't real. I can't make him into someone he's not. Is the Eric in front of me the Eric I want?

In the depths of my torture at the hands of the senseless fairies, Neave and Lochlan, I wanted him to be the one to save me, not Bill. I wanted so much to be able to rely on him, that maybe…maybe I could. He didn't come though.

I remember opening the bond, clawing at it in despair and desperation. I begged for him, I prayed. I had hoped. He didn't come.

I need to know why. I'm scared because it supersedes my need to know the terms of our marriage.

He says I'm killing him, but he's killing me too.

_Don't you know? You could destroy me better, faster than anyone else. _

I have to live with that, he has to live with me.

These past few days have expanded beyond what I have felt normally. I feel the pulse of every minute and the weary length of every hour. They are slow and tortuous. They allow you to feel every scrape, scratch, scar and sore. Each bruise and mark brings with it a reminder that lies behind your eyes.

Every morning I wake to nature's January calls. It is like a balm, whether it's the pattering sound of rain, making me feel as if I am floating off to a destination unknown or the sound of wind that has brought down a touch of snow that blankets the frost tipped earth. I remember the snow of a different year. I remember the touch of childlike giddiness that crossed his features for a minute as he took in the scene at my house. I had hoped in that minute. It was fleeting and passed.

My days have been spent healing in my old house. My old family house, or is it? It houses more secrets than most. For one, my grandmother's. I'm beginning to wonder if I really did know her. I just cannot conceive of the idea in my heart that she could be unfaithful. There's so much I want to ask her, not just about her life and her choices, but I want her advice still. I want do know what she'd say. But she's dead and her voice is silenced.

This place has begun to feel like a stranger's home. I was the little girl that lived and died here. I am no longer my grandmother's child. The hardwood floors, the old bathtub, the mismatched furniture, the collection of heirlooms, the century of ad-ons, its rustic country home style have lost some of its appeal to me. This was the place of my last remaining innocence. The bodies, the tragedies, the lies it houses, I think, finally overwhelmed it. The good memories outweigh the bad in this place, but I think I've outgrown it and Bon Temps too.

How could I not? I love Bon Temps, Louisiana, but it is not my entire world anymore. Not when so much has happened to me in this past year and a half. Good and bad. For better and for worse. Beaten, staked, raped, shot, blown up, tortured. I've endured more physical pain than most, but I couldn't always win, could I? I didn't this time.

I wanted so badly to stay out of their world, but the harder I tried to stay apart, the harder it sucked me in. I can no longer deny I'm a part of it. Not when I'm a telepath. Not when I work for a shifter. Not when I date vampires and shifters only. Not when I'm a friend of the Long Tooth pack. Not when I'm under the employ of the vampire monarchies. Not when my brother is a werepanther. Not when my great-grandfather is a fairy prince. Not when my cousins are fairies too. And I can't believe I'm going to say this…Not when I'm married and blood bonded to a vampire sheriff. I must have been crazy to even try. Of course, they don't call me Crazy Sookie for nothing.

Something in me has died. I'm New Sookie.

But I don't know this Sookie. She's not who she was. She's lost a piece of herself somewhere down the road. She was engulfed by the world and its cruelness.

I think Sam sees that, sees what I've lost. He tried to keep me out of it for the longest time, but he failed. A question rings in my ears, "Do you regret this?"

Sam's been coming by everyday this past week to drop off food for me and Amelia and keep us company. We're no good for that. Not now.

Amelia's lost Tray. She's taking it hard and mourning. She really loved him. They really loved each other. It was just too soon. They could have had so much and it was ripped away with such quickness. I haven't seen her much. She's mostly in her room with her memories and happier times of Tray and what could have been. They would have gotten married and had a family. I know it. More families gone and more children to never see the world. I can't bear to see her right now. It hurts me to look at her, to know, to feel the depth of pain and guilt that I do. I can't ask for her forgiveness. I can only hope she'll still be my friend. I have so few of them as it is and it's a selfish wish, I know.

I'm not much better.

The ravages to my body are slowly healing. Little by little, each day I saw a bit of improvement, but I was still dead tired. I felt simply drained from it all. The blood Eric gave to me helped a lot, but it is still something for time to mend. I hope that my body will bare no physical remembrance to mark it. It would be too much.

Inside I was dark. There was no healing, only pain and questions for my soul that lingered. I couldn't help but wonder if the core of Sookie Stackhouse had been changed forever.

It had been a week and a half since I'd been tortured and the final battle of the Fae War. I spent my days trying my best to relax. I was held to that by Sam, whose company was also that to watch me like a hawk, lest I do anything strenuous. He brought by flowers from the girls at the bar. Holly sent me a large bag of homemade cookies made by herself and her son Cody. It was apparent which cookie was Cody's and which was Holly's from the shape of them. Holly's were even and uniform all around, while Cody's were lumpy in some places, smooth in others and wholly uneven. Terry showed up one morning and without preamble did a great deal of yard work for me, shovelling the snow and cleaning the yard. Tara came by to make me dinner. Old Mrs. Caroline Holliday Bellefleur gifted me with her decadent, award winning chocolate cake.

However, the thing that made me smile and laugh for the first time in days was the obnoxiously scandalous pot brimming with bright red flowers resembling lady parts. Eric had sent them to me the day after Niall visited me and left me with his cryptic message. Yes, they were _the_ flowers, the exact flowers that Eric had sent that first time I was in the hospital, shortly after we had met. Sam's face had been blushed as red as the blooms when he had brought them in for me from the delivery man. It had been hilarious when he stuttered asking me where I wanted them. The message had been sweet though, 'For your smile, dear one,' in gorgeous penmanship and signed with an ornate and elaborate 'E'. They now sit next to me on the small side table beside the couch in full view of the front windows. The ladies in the Descendants of the Dead would be scandalized to see it, if they showed up.

I spent most of my time spread out on the couch in the living room, trying to reach blissful escape. I didn't want my thoughts to overwhelm me. I just didn't want to think about all that had happened. It was inescapable, but I still did it. There was the TV, books and music to be had. Hell, I could even mess around with Amelia's laptop. She had gotten wireless internet for the house. I could be doing major damage to my figure, eating all that I had, except for the fact that I was healing and the attack had left me with my coveted size six. I would so be going on that diet plan next time I tipped my personal scales…

I had been taking a nap on my couch, with my face shaded by Eric's naughty flowers, when I heard the tinkling sound of the house bell. It was a shock to the system. My beat up copy of _The Princess Bride_ was splayed across my belly, my hands still tucked in the pages. I had decided to engage in both the book and the movie. I loved both.

I had been lying on the beach somewhere. I don't remember where, just the feeling of the water tickling my feet and legs as the waves filed in and out, the sweet warmth of the sun on my skin, the faint scratch of sand on my calves and toes and the feeling of Eric's cool chest against my back. I remember his arms curling around my waist, and my fingers tangling against his on my belly. It was peaceful and relaxing, but reality waited.

Slowly, I pulled the ugly afghan from my aching body and shifted onto my feet. I croaked out, "Coming!" before taking a few laboured steps. I grimaced. I felt weak as a newborn kitten. Suddenly, I wished Sam were still here to answer my door. I'd have some protection from any threats to my person and I could stay in my nap.

Abruptly, I switched directions from my door to the kitchen. I needed painkillers and I needed them now. I found the orange pill bottle, rather incognito for a supe doctor, I thought, and popped two ibuprofen with a gulp of water. I sighed, knowing it would take a few minutes for the medication to kick in, before finally flinging open my door to reveal Niall's smiling face.

I gasped and clutched my heart in surprise. Since when did fairies use the front door?

"Hello, great-granddaughter," he greeted, still smiling. I noticed it lacked his usual cheer and goodwill. He seemed deeply sad reminiscent.

"Great-grandfather, hi...Umm…please, come in," I said, attempting to get over my shock and ushered him into the living room and the couch. I was about to take off the afghan for him when he stopped me.

"No, you sit, dear one. You should be resting." He pulled off the afghan as I sat down, folding it elaborately. There was the fairy way to do things and the human way, I mused with a slight smile. He would have to teach it to me sometime before he left, I thought sadly.

"I was, until you rang my door, you know," I teased. He just smiled in that Niall way.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked.

"I have come to you with a gift," he started, then seemed to backtrack, "Well, not so much a gift. I needed you to have it." He pulled out a long vial containing a liquid red purple in colour. "You would have had it earlier…if…" the words seemed to escape him, "if Claudine…She was one of our best potion makers." He explained, deeply pained. Looking into my eyes he said, "And you must understand it has not been easy to procure this for you due to our political situation. Even those on my side have reluctance to everything human now it seems," he said letting out a long sigh.

I felt the breath catch in my throat and a large lump form. Oh Claudine…I breathed rapidly in an attempt to quell the tears threatening to fall.

"So what is it exactly?" I asked bluntly, "It's not that I don't appreciate the difficulty you've had getting it…but I'd just like to know."

"A healing concoction. Powerful and potent. It will remove any trace of Neave's and Lochlan's ravages that would have remained once you healed. I know your vampire was unable to give you more of his blood due to his abhorrence of Renfields and the amount of blood of his you have at the moment," he said. Oh good, no scars. That was a relief. I could barely look at my body knowing that even Eric's blood could not stop the scarring. I don't know what was worse, the marks all over my body with their associated memories, or the look on Eric's face when he saw them. It was the look in his eyes. Haunted. And he made himself look, I was sure of that. I could see him burning it to memory in his thousand year old eyes. He had never revealed his years more than in those moments.

"Thank you," I whispered.

Niall looked out the window into the distance, "I was so proud of Claudine when she was just a child. She was so advanced. So gifted. The ease she had making potions, salves, concoctions that fae four times her age would have difficulty with…Had she made you a concoction, you would be healed within three days and your spirits lifted too," He looked so forlorn.

"She was very brave and very sweet," I said, placing my hand on his.

"Yes she was," he replied. He seemed so far away.

"How's Claude doing?" I inquired. He had lost his last triplet. First Claudia and now Claudine.

"Devastated. He was very close to Claudine, much more so than Claudia, even though their personalities were so different. Claudia always resented that, that Claude and Claudine could be so close, despite everything."

"What's he going to do?" I didn't have to elaborate. The portals between Faery and Earth would close.

"He hasn't made a decision yet, but I think he'll stay. He always enjoyed this world more than his homeworld. All of my family, I suppose."

Niall then looked at my face and pat my hand, "The portals will close completely in one year's time. We're giving that period for all the fae to decide whether to remain on Earth or come back. It's a rather complicated and lengthy process. You see, Earth is our crossroads to all other Fairy Realms. When they're closed, it will be much more difficult to move in between them. Not only that, finding all the Fae will be difficult."

He looked contemplative for a moment and then, "I must go. I have much work to do."

"Wait!" I exclaimed. Great. How was I going to broach this. Just rip it off quick like a band-aid. "You told me that the vampire wasn't a bad man, that he loved me. Who did you mean? Eric or Bill."

It was the million dollar question that had been gnawing at me, since he told me a three days ago. I felt like I was going insane. Why was it that the dead men wreaked the most havoc to my life? Did he mean Bill, my first love? Our relationship had ended over a year ago. It had soured greatly, but there was good in Bill and we were together once. I remembered the times I did love him. Of course, that made the betrayal all the more difficult. I didn't hate him anymore though. He was unabjured. Still, we could never go back to what we had and I don't think I want to be with him in a romantic context. Not anymore. He says he loves me and I believe that he does. I just don't feel it in return. Not the way he wants me to. I feel like I've finally moved on.

Did he mean Eric? Complicated Eric. I didn't even want to fathom that. I just didn't want to think about my thoughts that always trickled back to him these days, his presence, his power, his attitude…God, he could be such a prick, but also funny, he got my humour. His laugh was always rumbling and warm. Still, he was a big fat giant prick, a hot prick whose smug smile I'd love to slap off some time, but still an arrogant prick. And okay, he was sweet, in his own Eric way, loyal and noble. He did replace my driveway after all…and my coat, my cell phone, my door…

Still, he had hurt me deeply when he lost his memories of our time together under Hallow's curse. It was unintentional and it wasn't his fault, but the hurt was deep in me. Mourning for someone that never existed is the hardest thing you'll ever do. To know that what you had was completely meaningless. And the real Eric was so far away from the Eric who had stayed with me. He was closed to me, someone who didn't need me. I was unimportant, just a flash in his long existence. My Eric had made me feel needed.

Of course, the big jerk also protected me as much as he could. He took bullets for me, he got people to look out for me, he'd kept me safe, assisted me when I need it. Hell, it was the most underhanded move ever, but he did marry me for my own protection. It's better to believe that than other things. True, he didn't show up in the Neave and Lochlan Incident, the NLI, but I knew it wasn't like he did it because he had taxes due or something. At least, I hoped not. I don't think I could bear it if he was…I don't know if I could bear to know either way.

I shook myself out of my musings. In my head it seemed like hours, but it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

Niall smiled, a genuine smile and an amused look crossed his face with a raised brow. "You know," he said simply as he brushed a lock of my hair behind my ear. His fingers continued to brush over my heart and paused. "In here, you know. You feel it. Trust your heart, dear granddaughter."

"But…" I began. I don't know. I don't.

"Dear heart, I cannot answer what your heart already knows. It will come to you in time. Just don't fight it. Now I must go. Be safe," he continued.

"I'll try," I said with a smile.

"Try harder?" he said wryly.

"It's not my fault, you know. It's yours. The fairy blood and all that," I teased.

He shook his head and the white blond hair fluttered around his shoulders, his green eyes twinkling, "No, it's not the blood. Never has been. I can assure you." Still more to think about. Great. One problem walks out and ten walk in, story of my freaking life.

Externally, I shrugged and said, "If you say so."

We stood and I walked him to the door. There was so much I wanted to ask of him. Not just of this, but of everything. I wanted his advice. I needed to know him. I was never more aware of how little time we'd had together, and in a year's time, he'd be gone, taking all the rest of my family with him, except maybe Claude. I felt severely alone. It was like the universe had marked all those who I cared about for death or abandonment of me. It just wasn't fair. What it gave, it took away and what was I left with? A big fat nothing.

"Drink…I believe the human equivalent is 100 mL of the vial's contents each morning until it runs out," he stroked my cheek with his thumb and stared into my face, as if memorizing the features, "Do not be sad for us. You will be well. I'll see you when I can." He kissed my cheek and I told him goodbye. And then he walked out the door into the middle of the yard.

When he had reached enough distance, he turned around and waved. The air around him shimmered for a moment, before 'Pop' and he was gone.

It was about 4pm and the brightness of the Louisiana sky was already beginning to fade to darkness. Everything was cast in a golden light. Winter brought about early sunsets and longer nights. Longer nights for the creatures of the night to roam. The atmosphere had set off my great-grandfather beautifully though. The light had highlighted his delicately wrinkled features and brought out the leafy green of his eyes. I tried to burn the memory into my brain with the clarity that every moment with him was my last.

Time was chasing my tail with its scythe it seemed.

The sky would soon darken though and although the night should stir my deepest fears, I felt sweet relief. He would be coming soon. I felt my body relax.

Every day I yearn for the promise of sunset.

I realize this and it shakes me to the core. What of the sun I love so much? What of her?

Certainly the night is not without fear, even for me with all my vampire friends and allies.

The night has reached a strange dichotomy for me. I yearn for it and I fear it as well. It brings for me the greatest pleasures and deepest pains.

I felt exhausted. The golden glow of the sun, its relaxed laziness reminded me of how little I'd slept the past few days. My body was drained, but my mind raced with my conflicts and the nagging fears of my latest attacks. Dreams haunted my sleep. All I could see was sharp silver capped teeth, bloodied by my blood and hanging with my flesh. All I could hear was their laughter, their pleasure in my pain, their cries of joy, and their arousal at my agony. The Boogey Man in my brain. I despised it. I despised the weakness of it, their power over me. They were dead, dammit, dead.

I felt intensely claustrophobic all of a sudden. I needed to get out of the house. I was still standing by the open door, letting the heat out. I shook my head. I needed to get a grip of myself. I grabbed my cranberry coat from its hook and pulled it on. I felt better immediately.

Remembering that Sam had left me a thermos of hot chocolate, I brought that outside with me as well as my truly hideous afghan onto the wraparound porch. The paint was cracked and faded. It would need a fresh coat of paint this year, I realized. My family home was always in need of some repairs. Another expense I'd had to pay for with my recent nest egg. It just wasn't fair. I always needed to spend what I had to save. It wasn't like I had anything I really wanted to save money for. No life I needed money for, no family to feed. But I guess I wanted to keep that option open and it would be nice for once if that money would last.

I slouched onto the porch swing with the afghan draped around my shoulders, watching the sunset, sipping on the hot chocolate Sam had brought over. It was homemade, his mother's recipe. She had been released from the hospital in Sam's sister's care. Divorce proceedings between his mom and stepfather were finally underway. I knew the pain caused by family secrets all too well, I thought.

Jason had not come to see me. I had not heard from him since Niall saw us both. I guess our relationship had finally strayed too far to be mended, or maybe the pain is too great right now. I had my pain and he had his. We could be coming together as siblings for support, but that's not what we've ever been about. I wasn't overly concerned about my absentee brother though. He'd been part of my life, but absent in all of it anyway. So it wasn't like it was a difference. It's just…at least before we were civil and docile. There wasn't this rift. Is he another person I'm leaving behind?

I've left behind Arlene for sure. Sam told me she had been put in jail. Since the FBI had been involved in the investigation, the nature of the hate crime and the lack of judicial facilities in Bon Temps, she would be tried in New Orleans. Coby and Lisa had been made wards of the state. They were in Shreveport right now. My heart broke for them. What life would they have now? How could you do this Arlene? I wonder when I'd be required to testify against her. I don't know if I could face looking at her. Another bad memory in New Orleans, I guess. I wish Pam had been wrong about her.

Pam had been coming each night to check on Bill and me on Eric's orders. She would come before she was due in at Fangtasia, usually around six-thirty. Bill was still ensconced in his hidey hole. Pam said all she could do was leave him blood, bags from the blood bank and True Blood. He didn't speak much either. He wasn't out of the woods and his survival was still questionable.

Pam checked on Amelia too. Amelia mostly stayed in her room, but she let Pam in to see her. I hadn't tried. It was too hard right now. Her room was a mess. Dirty dishes, books and clothes tossed about. All she's worn for days is one of Tray's shirts. Pam would stroke her back and talk to her. I could hear them upstairs when I was in the living room. Pam would leave the door open, so she could hear what I was doing better. I was onto her. She could be very soothing. When Pam would leave, Amelia would be dead asleep.

Sleep had eluded me. The dreams of Neave and Lochlan were horrifying. I couldn't sleep through the night. I'd wake up unable to go back to sleep. The dark crept up on me and devoured my bravery. Every corner hid untold horror.

Pam noticed my extreme tiredness the third day of her ordered checks. She had recommended sleeping pills. I refused. I'd had to take so many painkillers already. The fear of having dreams I could not wake up from terrified me too. Pam had let it slide. Eric did not.

He was insistent. I still refused. Eric was strange. It was the best way I could describe it. Normally he would get angry if I was unwilling to do something he wanted. Now, he just seemed desperate. His voice was hearse…the way he'd kept saying please…He kept pressing until I told him my fears of being trapped inside the horror, unable to wake up. To my embarrassment, I had started crying uncontrollably.

He pulled me into a tight embrace then. It pained my aching torso, but I said nothing and clung just as tightly to his shoulders. Eric held me for a long time. I woke up the next morning without memory of what happened after, except of a vague recollection of a cool body pressed against mine, soothing calm and warmth. A note had been left on my bedside table, 'You can count on me, lover.' I had flipped it and noticed a post script, 'I've got a big sword.' I shook my head and smiled. Leave it to Eric to ruin something sweet.

Eric usually came around eleven to midnight after he'd finished work at Fangtasia and managing the Area. I'm sure Pam briefed him when she got into Fangtasia. The first night he came, I had awoken to a scream. Mine. It was the night of the day he sent the flowers. The dreams had been getting worse. They began almost immediately after the abduction. My body racked with shudders and cold sweat. I felt like I was hyperventilating. The dreams were so vivid, so real. I could feel still their claws on my legs, the coldness of their sharp teeth.

It had been just past midnight. I had tried to turn in early. Looks like I've been asleep for less than an hour and a half. Still, I was tired and drowsy and I wanted to sleep, but knew that I couldn't. I tried to read myself to sleep, to force my exhausted body to take over, but my weary eyes could not focus on the words. They just blurred. Resigned, I hopped out of bed and decided on a movie.

Since Amelia had moved in, she put little updates in the house, like the flat screen TV she had given to me when she got her high def plasma and her DVD player when she switched to blue ray. When I got into the living room, I grabbed a random DVD and popped it in. I smiled when I saw the shoddy CGI owl. _Labyrinth_.

Sarah had just started her opening monologue when I heard a voice somewhere to my right.

"What the hell are you watching?"

I let out a small shriek and found myself staring at Eric who had a very confused look on his face, "Is she at one of those tacky Medieval Festival things? They never get anything right." He must have come in from the kitchen.

"How did you get in?"

He raised an eyebrow and shook a set of keys in his hand. At my look of confusion, he said "Pam gave them to me."

I huffed. So that's why she wanted them. That Pam.

He smiled. "Good evening, dear heart."

"Hi." I clutched the cushion I had on my knees tighter. I so did not want to talk to Eric right now.

Eric pulled off his black leather jacket and draped it over the arm of the couch. Reaching into his pockets, he removed his wallet and cell phone and dropped it onto the coffee table with the scandalous flowers, along with a set of my house keys and what must have been his. He was wearing a black Fangtasia T-shirt with the Fangtasia logo and 'The bar with bite' underneath. It was just snug enough in all the right places, like his blue jeans. His long blond hair was pulled back into a loose low ponytail. He looked gorgeous. If I wasn't so worn out and beat up, I would've jumped him. I noticed he had put his black boots on the mat beside the kitchen door. I smirked. His socks were red with little black bats on them.

"Nice socks."

"I'll tell Pam you liked them. She gave them to me at Halloween," he said as he pulled my afghan off the back of the couch and placed it onto my shoulders. As he settled onto the couch, he pulled me into his arms and I snuggled into his chest. It felt so good. Mmm. He smelled like fabric softener, soap and Eric. It was comforting.

"How have you been, my Sookie?"

"Bored." Eric gave me a look. "I have nothing to do but lie around the house all day. Niall visited. Jason was an ass. I so don't want to talk about them right now. So nothing new really. You?"

He snickered and then, "We're expanding Fangtasia."

"Oh?"

"Yes, Felipe 'requested' even more revenue for my area. Pam's going to get that second level loft thing that will look over the main bar that she always wanted. There will be a bigger dance floor and stage, more seating, pool tables. Pam is thrilling at tweaking the look of the bar area. I'm fighting my damndest to keep that place intimate though."

"You like having your version of a dive bar."

He smirked, "Yes."

"Your office staying the same?"

Of course Eric would have caught the look on my face. "Are you making a proposition for me?"

"Maybe."

"Yes, it shall stay the same. I do not need more space."

"Good."

He leaned into my ear and whispered, "I shall take you up on your proposition one day soon." Did it just get about ten degrees hotter?

He smirked. "Did you like the flowers?"

"Hate to tell you Eric, I'm not into girls."

He gave me his mischievous smile. The one with the naughty look in his eyes and the tiny crinkle in the corner of his mouth. Uh oh.

He grabbed his cell phone. It was a cranberry red BlackBerry, (well, I actually felt justified in calling this one a CrackBerry, get it, cranberry BlackBerry) that matched my phone. He began dialling. I guess you never need speed dial when you're a vampire because of the instant recall. Lucky bastards.

"What are you doing!?" I exclaimed, a little panicked.

"Calling a contractor, I'm getting you a greenhouse."

Well, I was definitely panicked now, "Why would I need a greenhouse!?"

"For your banana tree," he explained with a wave of his hand.

I tried lunging for his phone. He simply used his long arms to hold it out of my reach and laughed at me. I used my cushion to hit his face.

"What is this called?" asked Eric when he had finally stopped laughing. He had placed his phone back beside the plants.

"Labyrinth."

Eric's eyes widened and he looked excited, "Is there a minotaur?" he asked with almost childish glee. Ahh, the possibility of blood, guts and fighting.

"No."

Eric deflated immediately and yes, oh my God, he was pouting. I snickered.

"You are a cruel woman," he teased.

"I'm not the one wanting to see a minotaur disembowel people. Now be quiet."

"She is very ungrateful and melodramatic. It's quite annoying," he muttered. Sarah had just thrown her fifth temper tantrum.

"I know," I replied.

"Why do you watch it then?"

"David Bowie and muppets."

"A flamboyant rock star and Jim Henson's puppets? If you say so, lover."

"Jim Henson is a genius. Wait until you see the Helping Hands."

"Is that another proposition?" He leered down at me.

I just rolled my eyes. "Only you, Eric…Just watch the movie."

He huffed and rubbed my shoulder. His hand traveled the length of my arm before hitching up the loose sleeves of my long sleeved t-shirt to my elbow. With a critical eye, he inspected the wounds crisscrossing my arm. His finger gently traced each mark. His cool touch was welcome as it soothed the wounds. "You are healing well," he remarked. I picked up slight relief in his voice.

"Yes."

"Are you in pain?" He had started with my other arm, repeating the process meticulously.

"Not too much. Sam brought me painkillers this morning. Actually—" I started, but Eric had settled me off his body and was already in the kitchen. I heard the fridge open and the clink of glass as he pulled out a bottle of what must be True Blood from the whir of the microwave as he began to warm up the blood. I heard the tap run and then the ding of the microwave.

In no time, he was back. He settled back on the couch and helped me sip water and down my medication. When I was finished, he gulped down the True Blood and then took my hand. He kissed the back of it before he began to run his tongue over it.

"What are you doing?"

He stopped briefly, "Vampire salve," he replied. He had started up my arm.

"Eric." He merely kept on my arm.

"You should take off your shirt," he said and I knew he meant nothing sexual by it.

"Eric, stop," I grabbed his large hand in my small one and looked at his face. He sighed, frustrated. Emotions flared across his face and the bond. They were dark. His eyes bore so much emotion, it almost hurt.

I twined my fingers through his and used my right hand to stroke his cheek, "It's okay. I'll be okay, I promise." I wondered briefly if I believed that, but I felt the need to belay his fears.

I leaned up and kissed his lips slowly. He responded gently and stroked my back with his free hand. It felt like we were in a bubble. Nothing but Eric and Sookie and it felt good.

When I broke off the kiss, I left a chaste kiss on his cool cheek. "Thank you, honey."

"When you were abducted, I—"

"I know, Eric," I said surprising myself, "I know you weren't balancing your cheque book or something like that." As I said it, I knew it to be true. There was something else, but right now, I just wanted to snuggle with him and watch Labyrinth.

He began stroking my hair, "It's never the right time," he sighed, "It seems our little coming to an understanding is once again victim to something. This time it's your sleepiness." He wasn't accusing, just disappointed.

"You want a rain check sticker?" I asked.

He laughed and relaxed, I felt his chest rumble. It was soothing. "When's it redeemable? At Sookie Stackhouse's whims?" he teased.

"They were really cool and red and everything. Now you're not getting one." I mumbled. He just laughed harder.

He was about to say something but was distracted by David Bowie coming onscreen in a pair of very tight, very, ahem, revealing grey pants. He said something else, "Oh, David Bowie, eh?"

"I'll have you know, it's a children's movie."

Unfortunately, I had forgotten the rather unfortunate dialogue and the unintentionally suggestive shot of Hoggle kneeling in front of Bowie's crotch.

"Kinky," Eric had said, waggling his eyebrows and I had to laugh.

At Bowie's confession of love that was laden with suggestion to Sarah, I asked, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

He chuckled, "It's too good to say anything to." I rolled my eyes and laughed with him.

It had been a good night. When the movie was done, I was finally tired enough and relaxed enough to sleep. Eric had tucked me in and left with me with a kiss goodnight. I had woken up the next day feeling alright, but for the next two nights, sleep had eluded me. I'd lie in bed all night in a tired, exhausted haze, unable to close my eyes. I'd try to sleep during the day, but the naps didn't do much for me.

The only thing that afforded me sleep was Eric's presence, as I found out. He had left after he had tucked me in for two nights and my dreams worsened. So every night since then, he's come through my bedroom window to spend the night with me. He's like my big security blanket, Viking sized, I giggled, as I watched the snow swirl through the cracks on my porch. I could just picture him chasing away my Boogey men, swinging a giant sword.

We had yet to have our talk. I anguished over it. We hadn't even dealt with our blood bond and now we were married. Married! I don't even know if I love him or if he loves me and he does this! I don't know if it's just what a thousand year old vampire does out of boredom or convenience, but marriage means something to me. It was important and life changing, it wasn't supposed to be something just thrust upon you. I have no doubt it was for my own protection, but you're supposed to be in love with the person you marry. I'm not naïve enough to think that it was true for all marriages, but it was what I wanted for mine. I know Eric cared about me, but what did he want from me? Well…asides from sex. What did I want from him?

Maybe I just wanted it to mean something. I needed it to mean something, because what if it didn't to him? Then where would I be?

I guess the big question was whether or not he loved me and whether or not I loved him in return. Of course, I had nothing to do but spend my days thinking and it was driving me up the wall. I was stuck in my head. I had no distractions. I felt like I was going insane, but I just wasn't ready.

I just wasn't ready yet and between the flurry of activity brought to Eric as sheriff regarding Were politics, the expansion at Fangtasia (They had just gotten a permit.), my healing and general weariness, it just hadn't been the right time.

Eric didn't push me, but he felt a little more anxious each day when I probed the bond. His face revealed nothing. I sighed and continued watching the sky darken. I knew we would have it and soon. He could only wait so long and I guess I was just as anxious, but there was a touch of dread in me too, a big touch. His mood reflected on Pam though. She was getting exasperated and snippy.

I sighed. I felt a little cold, but the brisk air felt good on my skin. The light whisper in my mind became a faint hum. I smiled. He must be awake. I had checked on Amelia's computer earlier in the day, sunset was at least half an hour away, but Eric was so old.

I must have dozed off, because when I woke up, fifteen or so minutes had passed and the sky was streaked with navy blue. It had become much darker. I decided to watch the night descend on Bon Temps. I watched as the last strands of gold left the sky. I watched the last strains of red as the sun was swallowed up by the black velvet of the sky. The jaguar had extinguished its prey, devouring it whole.

Every sunset is the meeting of the supernatural and it is here, the crossroads to the human world and my world begins, for I'm one of them too.

* * *

Woo. I haven't felt this nervous letting go of a fic since my first popped my FF cherry lol.

So, I did intend for this to be a oneshot, but I felt a plotbunny that's been twisting in my mind for awhile, but I didn't expect this to be 15 word pages. And I know I have people to get on my ass to actually finish this thing. Eric and Sookie were actually supposed to resolve themselves in the oneshot, but since it's not a oneshot anymore…you shall be tortured! *Evil Laugh* Not too much, I promise. There just needs to be some tension. I realized the natural ending of this chapter was the sun setting, but I wanted Eric in there and he sort of naturally inserted his behind in there through Sookie's semi flashback musings. And because I REALLY wanted to write Eric lol.

As for Labyrinth…I had to think of a movie that Sookie could have conceivably watched as a kid being born in 78…so…and yes, I do have a thing for cult classics.

I'm thinking the next chapter will be called Sweet Emotion. _Sweeeeeeeet Eeeemooootiooon. _

Would love to hear your feedback.

~simba_317


	2. Chapter One: Sweet Emotion

**Disclaimer:** If I had enough money, I would own the Sookie Stackhouse novels and True Blood. I would make out with Alexander Skarsgard in a music video and he wouldn't be making out with a mannequin either lol. But of course, I do not.

**Author's Notes:** First things first, I have to say a big thank you to all of you who took the time to review my fic. I was greatly surprised and flattered. I have never had that much of a response where within 24 hours of me publishing an update, I had 2o reviews. You rock.

Here's a piece of trivia. In every set list, Aerosmith always call "Sweet Emotion," 'Sweet E' lol. I'm that big of an Aero fan, I own their bio, _Walk This Way._ Aerosmith will come into play later on in the story. Think the covers "Train Kept A Rollin" and "Baby, Please Don't Go" and also "Remember" and "Lick and a Promise" or "Back in the Saddle." I chose this song, "Sweet E", because of the title and the fact that it's about conflict…between Joe Perry's pussy whipping ex-wife, Ellysa and the band...but I just love the riff. And it's my favourite Aero song. You know that opening bassline, by Tom Hamilton, I always feel like I'm in the car, driving just as the sun rises at top speed. That's a hint for you to squint at lol.

I really want to expand this fic beyond Sookie's POV, and it was always going to include multiple POVs…So, I think I'm going to be writing the rest of the fic in third person omniscient. If it serves the purpose, you will know the thoughts and feelings of the characters involved. It won't jump around too much on focus though.

Ooh…and I also gotta plug my site. You can find it at bloodbonds(dot)wordpress(dot)com. You can find fan created reviews, news and spoilers on both the show and books. We have a forum and all kinds of social networking things for you to join. If you want to publish fan reviews, just go to the site for more info.

* * *

**CHAPTER ONE: SWEET EMOTION**

"Pam? What are you doing?"

"Fluffing your pillows." She said it in a way laced with double entendre. Pam smiled, fangs out. Sookie rolled her eyes. Vampires and their puns. Did they really have so much time on their hands and so little to do that they'd just play with words?

Sookie had gone to her room to take a nap after she had heated up dinner. Hoyt's mother had sent a casserole. She was strangely reminded of when her grandmother died and the subsequent wake with all the food that was in her house. She supposed it was rather fitting. Many people had died in the past two weeks. People had to show their grief after all. Her magnetism for trouble made her the best candidate, she mused. It was rather depressing. Not to mention those who had taken pity on Amelia.

She rubbed her eyes and looking around her room balked.

"What. The. Hell. Pam!" she bit out.

Her room had seen the edition of many candles. Not an overabundance, but enough to cover each surface with at least three candles of varying widths and heights, all of which were a creamy white, grouped and neatly arranged into the corners. The candles on her bedside table had been lit, causing a pleasant flickering glow and a calming vanilla mint scent to waft around the room. Her bed was arranged immaculately. Her blankets and sheets had been folded down just so and the pillows about her head arranged and placed with care. The result was stunning.

It reminded her of Martha Stewart. She remarked as much to Pam.

Pam smirked, "She's alright for a blood bag." She looked a macabre sight, equal parts lethal and sweet in her charcoal black wool slacks, brown heeled boots, a deep blue shirt with embroidered rosettes and beaded embellishment and a soft, thick cream coloured cashmere sweater buttoned just so. Pam even took the time to tie a thick black silk ribbon around her head which held back her long pale blonde hair.

"Figures."

"I feel like I'm being offered to the king or something," Sookie murmured.

Pam's smile widened. Sookie groaned.

"What are you up to, Pam?" asked Sookie pinching the bridge of her nose, as if that would make everything go away.

"It's Wednesday night. We're closed on Wednesdays. My master only has a quick errand to complete as Sheriff, and then he is free for the night," she said. Sookie thought she seemed rather giddy at the prospect.

"Oh God…" she whispered panicked.

If Pam heard, she did not say. Instead she whipped out some items out of a shopping bag that rested on Sookie's bed. Sookie looked at the items puzzled. It was a knee length cranberry coloured cotton nightgown of high quality with black lace trim, thin satin straps and a V-neckline. The pattern on the fabric was a muted gold that recalled Norse elements. The last two items were a comfortable black bra and hipster panties made of soft cotton in her exact size.

Pam thrust them into Sookie's arms, "Here put these on."

"What!?"

Pam rolled her eyes, "I promise I'll look away, if it makes you happy."

"Why on earth do you want me to put this on, Pam? Why now?"

"This is an important night. You don't want to look like a slob for him, do you?"

"What are you? My vampire godmother!" seethed Sookie. The second she said that, Sookie felt deflated. Oh Claudine.

"Please don't leak now. We've got work to do."

"Thanks for your understanding, Pam," muttered Sookie.

"The fairy was brave. She wouldn't want you to leak all over your new thousand thread count sheets."

"You brought thousand thread count sheets!?"

"You're so easy, Sookie," laughed Pam.

"I'm glad I amuse you, Pam," ground out Sookie.

"Of course. Now get dressed," Pam said firmly.

"Why? What's wrong with my clothes?" Sookie was starting to feel a little offended. Dammit, she worked hard for what she had. She took care of herself and her home. Her things may not be the finest, but her existence was comfortable.

Pam rolled her eyes, "Nothing is wrong with your clothes."

"Then why are you doing this?" Sookie asked, gesturing to her room before crossing her arms over her white long sleeved tee shirt with a large cartoon polar bear on it. She supposed the image was rather comical. You can't look stern with a cute polar bear on your chest. Not to mention the red pyjama bottoms with the polar bear cartoon in miniature in an all over pattern.

"Sometimes treating yourself to nice things is good for you because it makes you feel good about yourself," Pam recited, "You've been here for a week and a half. I don't even think I've seen you change clothes in that time. You've told me how you look and feel like you went through a meat processor. You even showed me what that thing was and how it made hamburger meat. I just thought a little something nice would make you feel better."

"Dr. Abby again?"

"Yes, would you like to see the cut out? I'll even lend you my collection," Pam said excitedly. Pam had revealed that she kept a sort of scrapbook portfolio of all the Dr. Abby articles published in the local Shreveport newspaper, dating back to when she moved there to work with Eric. Each article was dated, stuck on thick, black coloured matte paper with a little glue stick and then sealed with clear plastic vellum over top. She had started while in Minnesota.

"No, Pam, that's fine. I'll put on the clothes," Sookie conceded. Pam beamed.

Pam then helped Sookie out of bed and into the bathroom to change. When she was finished dressing, Sookie had to admit that Pam had done a good job in her selection. She did look good in the nightgown and she did feel better about herself. It was not easy to have self confidence about your body after being attacked like she had in the NLI. As she exited the bathroom, Pam wrapped her into a long matching cranberry red robe made of a soft thick fleecelike fabric. It was heavenly. Pam had even provided her with a pair of cute fuzzy calf length black booties.

Pam fingered Sookie's hair, scrunched into a messy bun wrapped in a hair tie. "I'm doing your hair too." So for the next few minutes, Sookie sat in front of her vanity while Pam brushed, sprayed and styled her hair.

"Any change from Bill?" asked Sookie casually as Pam floated around her head, literally.

"No. He's not getting worse, but he's not getting better either. He's a bit more talkative now. He likes saying 'Dammit, Pam, get that light out of my eyes!'"

"Pam, you're horrible! You know full well you don't need it!"

"It keeps him distracted long enough for me to drop off the blood without him trying to attack me. I'll have you know I wore Monolo Blahniks."

Sookie couldn't help but roll her eyes. Oh the slaves to fashion. She had once asked Pam if she had a height complex, but Pam had just laughed and said that if you could wear 5 inch designer platformed stiletto heels all day without getting blisters and sores, along with the possibility of breaking your ankles, you would. One of the joys of being vampire. The modelling industry had seen a huge influx in vampires once the Great Revelation occurred. Everyone wanted to be able to keep their size 00 stick figures and wear the latest chic fashions that pained your body but looked oh so hot.

When Pam was complete, Sookie's hair was shiny and flowing down her shoulders and back like it would have been on any other normal day. If she ignored the marks Neave and Nochlan placed on her body, she would have felt normal, beautiful, and confident.

"There, now you are ready for that long delayed talk of yours," Pam said, placing down her brush.

"I don't see how that is any of your business, Pam," she bristled.

Pam just sent Sookie an annoyed look, "Eric is my master and maker. I am his child. It is my business to serve his best interests. You are his bonded and pledged mate. You are my business, Stackhouse, whether you like it or not."

"There is no way most children are like you, Pam," Sookie noted.

"I suppose Eric is not like most masters. Eric takes care of me and I take care of him. It is why he is a great vampire and a great boss. He takes care of his children, his fiefdom and his employees, so we take care of him in return. I obey as is my duty and obligation and pledge him my loyalty and allegiance freely and of my own will for all those things in him. I serve him out of honour," Pam explained.

"Most vampire children cannot say that about their makers then?"

"No," Pam said definitively, "I am lucky. You are too. It is time you stop testing the length of your leash."

"I'm not a dog, Pam," seethed Sookie.

"Then don't treat him like one. You keep his company when it pleases you and shun him when it doesn't. When you stop that, you'll find that in reality, you are not leashed by Eric. You will find that you are free and always were."

"How do you expect me to treat him differently? Every time I think I can trust him, I think that I know him, he springs something on me that makes it abundantly clear that I don't!" Sookie shouted with passion.

"Eric may tolerate your low opinion of him, but I do not. Girl, he has done more for you than you realize, it's best you see it. Do you really think that the king was happy to have Eric manoeuvre you away from his easy access? How do you think Felipe feels about being denied something from a sheriff, a sheriff that is below him? He has risked his hide, all of our hides for you."

Sookie turned from Pam, looking at her twisted hands in her lap, "I can't see Eric doing that."

"He did it nonetheless. You saw it with your own eyes, but you see what you want to, because it's easy. You dig in your heels because you're afraid," Pam reached out and clasped one of Sookie's, forcing her to look Pam in the eyes and continued, "You can't keep going on like this. It's not fair to him or to you. Can you really live with this unknowing, Sookie? Can you be satisfied with half a relationship? I asked for your mercy. I had hoped you would follow through and comply with my request. You can hide in your shell and never come out or you can go see what lies on the other side. But you'll never know if it's good or bad unless you do. Give him a chance. Have some faith in him. I implore you."

"I don't know if I can, Pam," Sookie felt her eyes watering and this time, she couldn't stop their flow, "Not anymore. Too much has happened to me Pam. Too many people. Too many disappointments. Too much pain. My great uncle, Jason, Bill, Quinn…and now this…My Gran…Claudine and Tray gone, because of me…and those fairies that captured me…Claudine was pregnant you know…and Amelia will never have the life she could have with Tray. That's on me."

Pam pushed her thumb gently across Sookie's cheek to wipe away the moisture. "You care about him deeply. That's all the matters. You saved him first at Rhodes."

"It was the right thing to do…"

"Yes, but you had other motivations. I know it," she insisted firmly. "You could have gone to Quinn, instead of Eric. You were with the Tiger, so why did you save a man who you did not have claim to, a man who had no claim on you, instead of going after the one who did?"

"I…" Sookie began, but Pam stopped her.

"Ask yourself this, can you live your life without him? Even Eric cannot wait forever, Sookie. We are immortal, but that does not mean we are invulnerable. Our lives can be extinguished as well."

"Why are you doing this Pam?"

"You are my friend. And I cannot stand to see my master this way. Nor you." If anything, Pam was her master's loyal minion.

Pam stepped up from the chair she had pulled out for the vanity and put it in its proper place. "Eric will be here soon. I will check on Amelia and provide my final check to the perimeters of your property before I go."

"Thanks, Pam. For the clothes and…"

Pam stopped her with a gesture of her hand, "Just say yes to him already and stop leaking. It's pathetic."

Sookie had to laugh, "You're one in a million, Pam," she said as Pam began walking out of the room.

"Oh, I know," Pam returned over her shoulder.

_What an evening_, thought Sookie and it wasn't even over. Eric would arrive within the hour and she had a lot to think about. Eric. He was the source to all her problems it seemed. Could she give Eric a leap of faith? Could she truly do it? She didn't know, but she did know that her heart was pounding with anticipation for his arrival as it had been every night this past week.

She had to admit that even with Sam stopping by during the day and even a few of Alcide's Weres sniffing the woods on her property, she didn't feel safe without Eric around. Even though he hadn't come to save her when Neave and Lochlan had taken her, she knew that the person that could keep her the safe was Eric. She had no doubt about that in her mind. He was the only thing that kept her dreams at bay and took away the memories that could steal her waking mind.

She trusted Eric to ensure her physical safety intrinsically. She always had. Her instincts had always known that about him. Could she trust him with her heart?

Her grandfather and told her to trust her heart, but should she really trust something that had been so easily crushed and broken in the first place?

Pam decided to take the stairs up to see Amelia at human speed. Vampire quickness could have been used, but Amelia didn't need to be shocked at her appearance in the house right now. She cracked open the door, seeing Amelia in a familiar position, sprawled on her side on her bed, facing the door. Quickly, Pam approached her bed and took her familiar position on it, sitting on the edge and began to stroke Amelia's hair behind her ears as she had for the past week and a half.

"How are you today?" asked Pam.

So much anguish in this house. It was strange how such a place could hold so much to the destiny of them all. Pam wondered if it were on some sort of supernatural crossroads. The vampires, fairies and two-natured all had their claim to this land in some way.

"I only used one and a half boxes of tissues today," joked Amelia weakly, "Other than that, same as yesterday and the day before."

"Hmm.." cooed Pam. She always just let Amelia do the talking. It was what she needed, unlike Sookie. That girl definitely needed a serious talking to.

"My dad called," Amelia sniffled, "He doesn't have to say it, but I know in some part of his mind, he's relieved. He didn't want his girl married to some backwards country hick who owned a motorcycle repair shop. Tray was too low brow for him."

"Your father, while important in your life, cannot dictate who you are. All that matters is what you feel for Tray and how it felt when you were together. He can't take that away from you."

"Thanks, Pam. The Dear Abby does you good. Does it work on Sookie?" asked Amelia with a slight smile.

"We shall see if her…I believe the saying is, 'head is still up her butt' soon," replied Pam.

"She shouldn't waste her time," murmured Amelia.

"No, she shouldn't…Did you eat already?"

"Not dinner yet. Would you mind getting me some?" requested Amelia.

"Not at all. There's some sort of casserole in the fridge. I'll have to go and take care of stock and inventory at the bar soon. I'm also meeting a few contractors for the expansion project," Pam explained.

"Okay, that's fine. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't suck dry the contractors who try to suck you dry," advised Amelia, "You'll never get your project done otherwise."

Once Pam had completed her tasks for Amelia, she bid her goodnight and went to tell Sookie she would be leaving. She found her still in her room as she had left her, deep in thought. _Good,_ thought Pam. Maybe it'd sink in, finally. Maybe she'd finally get it. Was it truly so hard to see something in front of you that the entire world could see? Hell, even Charles Twinning could see that, what was right in front her eyes. Women would have died for that look in his eyes that Eric graced upon Sookie in her time. They would have risked everything for that look. They would have run away for that look, shunned their families, and never looked back. It was that or open your legs to bear some rich man of status, class and power sons, so that your daughters could do the same. Such a hallow life.

"I will go now Sookie. I will see you tomorrow," Pam said and a grin spread over her face, "We will talk. I don't believe in using ridiculous coupons either."

"That's great, Pam," said Sookie with a strong hint of sarcasm.

Pam ignored her and instead said, "He is vampire, but he is a good man. You must know this."

Sookie sighed, "I do." And she did.

"Good. I'll recheck your perimeter."

"Thanks."

Pam began to step out of the room, her heeled boots clicking on the hardwood rhythmically, but she stopped at the door jam. A thought had crossed her mind. Her shadow cast a long silhouette in Sookie's partially dark room.

"Sookie?" She looked back at the blonde seated at the vanity intently.

"Yes?"

There was a faraway look in her eyes that betrayed her heart but for a moment, "Even vampires fall in love."

And then Pam was gone. Vampires sure knew how to make an exit. She wondered if there would ever be a time when she could outdo them.

They made stunning entrances and dazzling exits, entering and leaving your life like a blinding flash. They rearranged your entire existence, then got the hell out of dodge and let you pick up the pieces. Could they stay with her, could she stay with them?

Every moment that passed for her with them marked her existence forever, but to them, she was nothing more than a fleeting moment. Could the fish and the bird really live together?

She was pushed out of her thoughts by a surge of happiness. It made her feel giddy and she let out an insane sounding giggle. Eric was coming. She felt the tension ease from her body and the troubling thoughts in her brain subside. She felt at ease.

It was always the same in the week he'd come to visit her. She anticipated this feeling almost as much as seeing the man himself. She wanted to cling on to that feeling and never let go.

Well, there was no point lurking in her bedroom. Time to come out of the darkness.

Sookie went to the kitchen and decided to indulge in that cake. It was just past eight. She was a little hungry and Mrs. Bellefleur's cake would be just the ticket to tide her over. If she remembered correctly, Sam had also brought in some milk that would go perfectly.

She had cut herself a generous slice. Sookie was delighted she didn't have to watch her waistline, absolutely delighted. The cake was delicious and she was devouring it with glee. Upon her last bite, she stuffed it into her mouth and moaned. God, it was so good.

"Lover, are you cheating on me with a chocolate cake?" smirked Eric with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

He was leaning on the door frame, his six-foot-four to six-foot-five height emphasized and elongated in stunning glory. His arms were crossed with his appropriated set of house keys still dangling from his palm, along with the big fuzzy black cat keychain. It even had a little bell. Even in his leather jacket, the pose did amazing things to his arms. Eric was wearing a pair of snug indigo dyed blue jeans with just the right amount of fadedness, a black leather belt with an ornate silver coloured belt buckle that Sookie was sure archaeologists would kill themselves over and a black wife beater that showed off his chest and toned body. The tank top was revealed to her by the unzipped dark grey hoodie Eric wore with the hood over his head and the unzipped leather jacket as well. There were a few snowflakes coating his jacket and the hoodie. Eric may have looked more delicious than her cake.

Sookie gulped down the cake and red heat spread across her face. She felt like the air around her had heated up about twenty degrees. The surge of lust was palpable.

Eric slowly approached her, pulling the hood from his head, freeing his glorious long blond hair. His boots were already off and on the mat by the kitchen door. Sookie's eyes followed his long blond hair and Eric smiled, leaning down to her, getting in her personal space. He let his hand rest on the table beside her plate as his other hand clasped the back of Sookie's chair, effectively trapping her. His face was inches from hers and all she could do was stare into his dark, icy blue eyes.

Her throat was dry and she could barely think. She realized she was still clutching her fork.

Eric inhaled, taking in her sweet scent. She looked so naughty with that blush on her face, her neck, clutching that fork, caught with her hand in the cookie jar. She was tantalizing.

Sookie watched enthralled, as Eric's eyes dipped from her eyes to around her mouth.

"You've got something on your cheek," he said seductively and before she could react, Eric's tongue darted out and licked the trail of crumbs that lead from her mouth to part of her cheek. He could hear the clatter of her fork as she dropped in somewhere.

He gave her eyes a sensual look before he dropped his lips onto hers and devoured her mouth in a burning kiss. His cool tongue invaded her hot mouth. Sookie felt like she was on fire. Eric's tongue stroked against hers, like he was cleaning her mouth, not only her cheek of the cake, as if he were replacing all thoughts of the cake with memories of him.

"Mmm, delicious…" he groaned when she had to take a needed breath.

He placed one last kiss on her lips, pausing to suck her bottom lip a bit before backing off with a kiss to her cheek.

Sookie was breathless. Eric sure knew how to say 'hello'. And kiss…among other _things_.

"Hi," she said sweetly and smiled up at him. Eric thought she looked like a little angel, a naughty one he would love deflowering.

"Good evening, dear one," he returned. He couldn't help but smile, a silly one, he was sure, when she leaned forward, wrapped her little hand around his cheek and gently kissed him in return. She left him hanging when she broke off the kiss with a shy smile just before she left chaste kisses to the corner of his mouth and his nose too. He laughed a little. She was adorable.

He wished to possess her completely. If only she knew she already possessed him completely.

When she sat back into her chair and then went about putting the plate and fork in the sink, Eric slung his jacket around the back of one of the kitchen's chairs and helped himself to a True Blood. They'd fallen into an easy pattern this past week.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked as she took in his attire.

"I'm from what is modern day Sweden," he retorted, "This is nothing, my Southern Belle. This isn't even New York or Canada." Sookie shivered even at the possibility of those frigid locales.

Eric leered down at her, "I'd keep you very warm."

She brushed off his comment, "I'm surprised you haven't crashed your car in this weather. I'm surprised they even let you have a licence."

"I'm a _very _good driver, lover. As for the licence, what makes you think they did?" he teased.

"Right…How are things?"

"Not bad. I was introduced to one of the possible contractors. I don't like the look of him. He won't look in the eye and he certainly isn't touching my bar. He was escorted off the premises."

Sookie laughed. "What's your baby, the bar or the Corvette? You can't choose both."

Eric sighed and rubbed his temples, "The bar…and Pam wants a goddamned second level, a bigger stage, a bigger dance floor, a bigger seating area, a new bar set up…"

"Aww, sweetie, it'll be alright," she comforted stroking his hand. Eric just sent her a deadpan look, causing Sookie to laugh harder.

"You look better," Eric said taking in her appearance.

"I don't know…I guess I'll see what happens when I take that concoction Niall gave me. He visited me today and left it. He says I won't get scarring. Thank God for that."

"Yes," whispered Eric. A pondering look crossed his face.

"You look like that brooding teenager from _The OC_, only about a foot taller," she giggled. Eric grimaced.

"Those people are vapid. Pam made me watch an episode. I don't know why humans watch that dreck."

"If it makes you feel any better, their ratings are tanking," soothed Sookie.

"Oh good, my faith in humanity is restored," replied Eric sarcastically, taking a sip of the warm blood.

"What faith? You think we're all a bunch of worthless blood bags," said Sookie, rolling her eyes.

Eric gazed at her pointedly, reaching for her hand and clasping it with his, he said, "Not all of them." Sookie couldn't help but smile and feel touched.

She leaned forward in a conspiratory whisper, "That's such a relief. Tell me, what cool gifts do I get in your special club?"

He took her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on it, all the while staring at her face, "For you, anything you'd like."

"That so?"

"Yes."

She thought for a moment before blurting, "I want a day with you. Right now." She couldn't take it back but she found she didn't want to.

Sookie had seen Eric all week, but they hadn't really had time to themselves. Most of the time, she was just too tired. He ended up holding her as she slept on most days. She found she missed and craved his company. She just wanted to spend time with him. Eric was easy to talk to. Well, most of the time anyway, relationship talks aside. She missed their easy rapport, the laughter.

Eric looked surprised and a little hopeful, "Seriously?"

"Seriously," she confirmed.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to come skinny dipping with me?" He shot her a winning smile.

"Oh hell no. You couldn't even get me drunk enough to do that!" Sookie protested.

"Who says I'd need to get you inebriated? The company would be enough."

"I'm freezing my ass off but I've got good company?"

Eric had reached over and started stroking her fingers a little, "Like I said before, I would keep you warm."

"How do you plan on doing that?" asked Sookie sceptically.

Eric's gaze took in her entire body, even covered by her robe, Sookie felt entirely naked and exposed with just his heated look.

"Must you ask?"

"Hate to tell you this Eric, but being bone chillingly cold really kills my libido. Sorry," Sookie replied sarcastically.

Eric rolled his eyes and answered drolly, "If you must know, I have an outdoor hot tub and you must have heard of hot springs."

"Oh my God! You're a snail killer! You've killed thousands, if not hundreds of thousands or millions of those tiny, endangered buggers! How dare you," Sookie accused.

Eric shot her a blank look. Sookie snorted and started laughing uncontrollably.

"If it makes your tree hugging, Greenpeace supporting, animal rights activist side happy, I'll make sure there are no endangered snail species living in any hot spring you would like to bathe in with me." His amusement tickled her through the bond.

"Meaning you'll make Pam call a whole bunch of people," snickered Sookie.

"Yes, a few scientists and park rangers, if it comes to that."

Sookie felt bold, "What's the worst thing you've made Pam do?"

Eric laughed, "Host a frat party sponsored by Fangtasia…in a Playboy bunny costume."

Sookie giggled, imagining Pam surrounded by drunk, horny frat boys, "Oh my God! That's hilarious. What on earth did she do?"

Eric took on an introspective tone of voice, the same one he had hen he told her of his past. She loved listening to his voice when he spoke. She could almost imagine him reading to the children at the Shreveport Library during Story Hour. He would be an excellent storyteller.

"It was before Rhodes. I was…not in a good way. Frustrated. I had a short fuse. Pam kept saying I was bad for business and should just go and talk to you already and stop acting like I was two years old because it was offending the primordial soup. I suppose…well, I was," he corrected, and smiled, "not having the best of nights, by any stretch of the imagination. Pam had finally had enough of me. She said she was speaking to you end all the strife between the two of us and she was doing it that instant. I told her she could do that and host the frat party. I've never seen her look more appalled. She had backed off…for the moment at least."

"She's persistent as hell," complained Sookie.

"Oh yes," Eric agreed.

"Some time passed. By this time, Pam was the only one who would dare talk to me at all at Fangtasia. I was…extremely irritated one night. There was a rather persistent fangbanger, to top it all off. I threw her off the throne and went to my office. Pam told me to straighten up or get out of the bar. I threw the phone at her head. It missed her by half an inch. She just glared at me. She knew I would never cause her harm. I knew I had to leave."

"You must have a good filling service," said Sookie dryly, "I've never noticed any holes on your walls."

"Pam's good with hiring the work for things like that, or getting people to patch things right away…She can be quite a harpy."

Sookie chuckled, "I'll bet," and let him continue.

"The next night she was due in to meet me for inventory and taxes. She never showed up. I grew worried. I could tell she was not in the vicinity of Shreveport."

"Aww, your baby girl didn't phone home before curfew," teased Sookie.

Eric smiled, "Yes. Well, I feared that she had been taken by the Fellowship of the Sun. We get death threats every now and then. I feared the worst. I drove to her house to start the search. I had just gotten into her living room to search for clues when I received a phone call from her cell phone. I heard nothing but chatter for a few moments. I thought it was the Fellowship holding her hostage at some sort of sick banquet, when all of a sudden she shrieked, 'I'm hosting the fucking frat party!' and hung up on me before I could get a word in. I knew then to track her east to Bon Temps and Merlotte's."

Sookie laughed for a long moment, "And then you stormed in on our conversation…I can just imagine your face when she said that."

"She looked like she would vomit when she saw the outfit." Eric smiled humourlessly, "So here I am now, imploring you to talk to me."

"That Pam," Sookie sighed, sobering.

"Watch _The Princess Bride_ with me," she said suddenly.

"Oh joy of joys. It sounds scintillating," snarked Eric, slightly disappointed.

"Give it some credit, it's got swordplay, deformed men, revenge, fighting and really disgusting festering injuries, punning…You like punning! There's even blood, I promise."

"Sure, why not? I shall accompany you to watch this movie then," he said, slightly bitterly.

Sookie reached out to him across the table, clutching his large hands with hers and looked him in the eye, "We're together alright. Only you for me and only me for you. No one else."

"Unless, you're seeing…" she began to add. She didn't even know why she said that. It sounded so desperate and clingy and needy.

Eric cut her off, "Only you for me," he repeated.

Sookie nodded. The relief that fell upon her heart was enormous. "Good," she said, "but I can't rush this, Eric. I rushed things with Bill and Quinn, hell even Alcide, and it ended badly. I promised myself I wouldn't do that again."

He began drawing patters on the back of her hand with his finger, "I'm not Bill, or Quinn or Alcide, dear one."

"I know," she whispered, glancing into his eyes. They surprised her sometimes. His eyes, so blue, so deep, could be so cold, indomitable sometimes and yet, here, now, it held more storms than the sea. It was then she felt like she was being sucked into his vortex, like she could touch his soul.

"You drive me mad," he confessed, "Tell me, do you love him, Bill?" She could feel his insecurity in the moment and she felt the need to belay his fears, to be honest with him.

"I did for a moment, at the clinic. I remembered the good things about him, the good times we had. It passed. There's too much between us for us to ever be together again the way we were. I'm not sure if I want it either."

"I'm not who I was," she admitted.

He nodded. "Stop running from me."

"I'm here aren't I?" She looked so lost then, the cerulean of her eyes hazy, unsure. It hurt him.

"The closer I am the more you slip from my fingers," he whispered, "like chasing a shadow."

"What do you want from me, Eric?" Her eyes began to water a bit, dammit. She so didn't want him to see her like this.

"I just want you, all of you," he said, his eyes penetrating hers. She felt like he could see all of her, even the darkest corners she hid with all her might. It scared her when he looked at her like that, like he could see everything about her. He penetrated her darkest depths and her brightest light. She wondered if he liked what he saw.

"Eric, I don't even know who I am anymore." Then, she began crying in earnest.

Eric reached over and pulled her into his arms. Then she was sitting on his lap in his chair, surrounded by Eric, pulled into his chest. His clothes smelled good and he permeated her senses.

"I know you, Sookie. I know you," he whispered into her ear, rocking her gently.

She felt protected. She felt safe. She felt like everything fit. She felt like she could trust him, really trust him. She felt scared to death.

"Neave and Lochlan took something from me. I'm not who I used to be. I'm not," she protested sobbing.

"No," he said firmly, gently reaching for a chin, making her look him in the eyes. "No," he repeated.

"How do you know, Eric?" It pained him to see her like this. It crushed him. All his experiences, all his successes and conquests, they never prepared him for this. He hated it when she cried. It was entirely wrong. Everything in his being protested against it. He had realized in the weeks, the months, the year since he first met her, he'd do anything for her.

"Appius took that from me. You may be changed, but you are still Sookie, my Sookie."

"I don't feel like her," she said looking up at him with tear filled eyes and there she was, killing him all over again.

"You will in time. I have faith in you," he promised, brushing the tears off her face softly with his thumb.

"Why?" she asked.

"You really have to ask?"

"Yes." Something in her needed to know.

"You're brave. You are smart and you are loyal. You have a sense of fun and adventure. You're responsible and hardworking. Creative too," he whispered.

He kissed her forehead, her eyes, her nose, her cheeks, her lips, her chin, like he was blessing her, before looking into her eyes again with his that were stormy, honest, true. And she believed him.

"You are beautiful," he said simply. _Dammit, he looked me in the eyes! _She felt undone.

He winked at her, "Plus, you have the most beautiful breasts I've ever seen."

Sookie giggled through the tears and hiccupped.

"You just had to ruin the moment."

"I love to see you smile."

Sookie smiled burrowed her nose into Eric's chest and allowed him to hold her for a long while. He stroked her back soothingly all the while and hummed what sounded like an ancient tune. She wondered if he had sung the song for his children from so long ago.

"Redeem it tomorrow," she said after the chime of a clock from the living room sounded. She almost didn't know what made her say it. Was she so charmed by him?

He smiled at her then, the dazzling one that made him look like what she thought he had as a child. She loved that smile. It lit up his face and made his eyes sparkle just a little brighter. "Truly?"

She took his hand, unfolded it and then curled her pinky finger around his, "Pinky swear. I promise"

"Think you can wait that long?" she teased, smirking.

"I'm over one thousand years old, lover, I can be patient." He said.

"Except when you're horny."

"Except when I'm horny," conceded Eric with no shame.

"I have to work on the floor of the bar tomorrow," he warned, "I won't be able to see you until later." He seemed regrettable.

"Skip it?" she asked, "It's Ladies' Night. Do you really want a horde of fangbangers hanging off you?"

"I am onto you, my little vixen," he teased, "Jealous are you?"

She rolled her eyes, "Maybe just a little?" she conceded.

"Alright, I'll inform Pam of my absence."

She then cutely curled up into his chest again, "Now I want my day. Take me to the living room," she ordered.

"As you wish," he replied, slipping an arm under her knees, he carried her bridle style into the living room before settling her gently onto the couch to set up the movie.

When Eric had finished setting up the TV, he eased himself onto the couch and Sookie burrowed herself into his side and he took the opportunity to play with the loose strands of her blonde hair. It amused her how he seemed to take up the entire couch with not only his size, but his presence. He filled up rooms with his charisma. She vaguely wondered if they made anything Eric sized. It always amused her seeing him on her furniture. He looked like a giant, or a bunch of teenagers invading a colonial museum, sitting on the real sized replicas of the furniture too small for them thanks to good nutrition.

When the boy and grandfather popped up on the screen arguing the merits of the grandfather reading him a story, Eric caught Sookie's eye and pouted. Sookie laughed punched his arm. She couldn't believe a thousand year old vampire was pouting at her like a petulant child.

"I promise you there will be blood, guts and gore."

"If you say so," he muttered with an exaggerated sigh.

"Fine, we'll watch _Kill Bill_ next time," Sookie conceded.

She couldn't help but laugh at the grin that spread over Eric's face.

"You look pretty sanguine, Eric," she teased.

"I like that movie."

"I can tell."

"I think we're doing a _Kill Bill_ theme this year for the Halloween party. We're going to make it look like the House of Blue Leaves after the Bride kills the Crazy 88. That second level Pam wanted will be good for something, I suppose," Eric explained excitedly.

"Do you want O-Ren's kimono or the yellow and black track suit?" asked Eric.

"Moving a little fast, are we?" teased Sookie, "I've got no preference…"

"It's too bad Pam wants to be Gogo," Eric mourned.

Sookie rolled her eyes. Men. "What are you going to be?"

"A Tokyo crime boss or one of the Crazy 88," he replied.

"The crime boss will be a stretch for you."

Eric's attention was on the movie though, a criticizing expression on his face, Buttercup's farm had rolled into view and Eric snorted, "That is a horrible set."

"Would you like to become a historical consultant for the studio's art department?" Sookie snickered.

"Lover, I think I feel like that boy," admitted Eric.

"You said you could be patient. There will be violence soon," huffed Sookie.

Eventually, Eric was able to suspend his disbelief and just enjoy the film and its nuances. He couldn't help but laugh when Buttercup pushed Westley over the hill and then had to follow him over.

"She reminds me of you, lover," he told her.

"Ha ha, now shut up," she admonished as the lovers made up.

"Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for awhile," Westley proclaimed.

"That's my favourite line," she declared.

Eric simply looked at her, "Interesting."

Sure enough, Eric did enjoy the ROUSes that bit Westley's shoulder into a bloody mess, the sword fighting, Max and Valerie and the Vizzni's game of logic. Sookie was not surprised when she found he liked Westley the best. Of course, Eric's favourite line was, "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours." He told her that he thought hers were better. Sookie just rolled her eyes. "Typical," she had said.

"I think I'll have to change my favourite line, dear one," Eric said as Westley threatened Humperdinck on the bed.

"The gore parts, of course," she answered with a smirk.

"Yes, I quite like 'To the pain.' Westley is very clever. It's very fitting punishment. I would do the same myself."

"Justice, better if it's poetic?"

"Why of course," said Eric with a winning grin and a wink.

"Only vampires have the time enjoy the idiosyncrasies of language…seriously," teased Sookie.

She yawned. She couldn't believe her lack of energy. Between the healing and the painkillers she was on, she was constantly sleeping. Sookie hoped the fairy concoction would be better. She supposed it was a relief for Sam, since she couldn't go around traipsing, looking for trouble left and right, but it was just getting to the point of irritating. She felt like she was going stir crazy in her old house. She had been almost reluctant to ask Eric to fetch her one about half way through the movie, but she didn't want to try dealing with the pain and she knew how attuned Eric was to her. He would eventually force the issue and she didn't want to ruin their night.

"We should be getting you to bed, my lover," he soothed, rubbing her arm gently.

"Mmm," she mumbled against his chest, "It's almost over."

When at last the gang had rode off into the sunset on beautiful white horses and the little boy had been swayed of the merits of the book and Eric had put everything away, Sookie said, "See, I told you you'd liked it."

"You did," he replied, pulling her into his arms and carrying her to her bedroom. Sookie felt rather like Buttercup with her Westley in that moment.

Eric then set her gently on the bed and divested her of the robe. Not bothering with the lights, he easily folded the blankets over her body, making sure she would catch no drafts.

He kissed her cheek, "I will be back in a moment after I secure the premises for the night. Would you like something when I come back?"

"No, I'm good."

With that, Eric sped through the house at vampire speed. Whipping out the kitchen door, he checked the woods that lined the house, using his senses to check for disturbances, no matter how infinitesimal. He paused for a moment at the edge of the forest, took an unnecessary breath and reached with all his vampire ability for any danger. Finding none, he sped back into the house and rechecked all the locks on the windows, making sure each was concealed and shut tightly, as well as the doors. All this took less than five minutes.

A small rustle of wind alerted Sookie that Eric had returned. He pulled off his hoodie and left it at the foot of her bed, along with his socks which he had rolled into a neat ball. Next, he climbed into the covers and cuddled up to Sookie. She stirred a little. It made her smile. Thousand year old Viking vampire Eric Northman was a cuddler. He loved snuggling as he called it. It was rather cute and rather un-Sheriffy.

"Are you Quicksilver or the Flash?" she mumbled sleepily.

Eric snorted.

"Oh come on. Even you have to know them," Sookie protested.

"I'm surprised you do."

"Older brother. Now answer the question."

"The Flash, because Quicksilver is overshadowed by his twin sister's powers and Magneto's. He's just not that cool in that family. And it's one fucked up family."

"Got that right," Sookie whispered.

"Go to sleep, dear one," he whispered, kissing her forehead.

"Good night, Eric."

With that Eric listened to her breathing and her heartbeat, waiting for the indicators of her sleep. He stroked her back and hummed a tune he had learned in his human time. And then, there it was. Smooth, regular, and unhurried. Slow, but strong.

He spent the next several hours lying in her bed, stroking her back, letting his brain catalogue his next moves in the silence. Time was short. The world was closing in on him, on his fiefdom, on Louisiana. The consequences of his actions would come quickly, swiftly, but Felipe was one to let him sweat. He liked playing with his food. He liked grand theatre. A good psychological tactic, but he had provided the Northman with time, which was never a good thing for an opponent to do against him. Pieces were coming into the play, the die was cast, but nothing was set in stone. Not yet. It was when the flux was over and where the pieces fell then that mattered.

He enjoyed the game, the sport, the survival, but this time the risks had exceeded maximum allowable and she was lying in his arms, injured, hurt, weak and unaware. Could he still manoeuvre the pieces to his liking? Did he really have an ace in the hole?

More than that, he needed her to know, know the depth and breadth of his feelings and for her to return them. The war with her head and her heart wounded him too. He longed for her acknowledgment, her true acknowledgment, so it could be real. She was so close. He could feel it. Their time was too short, but he knew that she could not be pushed until she was ready. It frustrated him deeply, though he knew her well. He could not be the one to resolve her head and her heart.

Too soon he had spared as much time as he could with her, it was just past 5:30am. The sun would rise in more than an hour, but he had factored in the time it took to drive back to his home, his nest and his fatigue. Oh, his body knew the exact time he had left and the strain of the coming sun. No matter how much he wanted to stay, times were precarious and he must be safe for her. He was the only thing standing between her and the Spanish snake. Recklessness was not something he could afford.

"Sleep well. Goodnight, my sweet Sookie," he whispered against her ear.

The moment he removed his body from hers, he felt the protest stake his heart. He felt the call of two instincts, the coming sun and her. Leaving her is his pain, has been since he could not prevent her injuries. However, he knows that he has felt this even before then. He doesn't know how far back, just that he noticed it profoundly after her abduction. Everything calls for him to stay, his mind tells him to leave, that staying will risk him and in turn risk her. He is of no use to her in his daytime sleep.

He watches as her body protests this just as much as him once again. It has been this way for as long as he has stayed in her bed with her through the past few nights. He hears her mumbled whimper and sees her arms stretch asking, 'where is he?' and finding him nowhere. It might just break him.

Only, this time, instead of walking away, her voice breaks the silence of the night, "Eric…" she mumbles. Her eyes, in the half focused weariness of sleep, finds him just off the bed. Her arms reach to him. Her voice calls to him.

"Eric…stay with me," she whispers, "Please stay."

"Sookie…" he begins to protest.

"Don't go," he can feel her begin to panic, he can feel her distraught. He can't deny her.

He crawls back to her and pulls her to him and he can feel the relief in her body, the slow of her breathing and heart rate as she relaxes. Eric strokes her back, stroking away the tension. Her breathing evens out as well as her heartbeat and she's almost asleep again. She takes one last nuzzle against his chest. It is best. It is right. It is perfect.

In the night, the silence, though it is quiet still when the peace is broken, he hears her voice low against the walls, "I love you."

His body tenses, his heart soars, but she is gone.

He strokes her cheek, "Sookie?" he whispers.

But she is asleep. He lets out a small chuckle. How ironic. Clearly, she will never remember her words.

Still, he can settle for this, for now. He is patience, a thousand years' worth of it.

He allows his vampire senses to expand around him, focusing his senses smell and hearing. First he is hit with the smells of her, her home and at last those outside. Next, his hearing flexes from her to the exterior of her home. Finally, he triggers what is his sixth sense, his vampire gift, his secret one, spatial awareness. It is a very handy gift, one that has saved him many times over. Other gifts of his vampirism has been honed by his age, his memory, the workings of his sharp mind, his glamour, his strength, his senses, his flight, but his spatial awareness is unique. He uses this skill to scope his environment.

All is well, all is safe in the moment.

He keeps his vigilance until he knows he can no longer. The sun's rays are mere moments away. Bon Temps has already started to come to life. It is just about 7am.

This time when he leaves her, the protest, the pain is the same, but she does not awaken. He kisses her cheek.

"I will see you soon, my lover, when I awake," he whispers, though he knows she cannot hear, not yet.

He pauses, "I love you too." He decides he likes the sound of the words on his tongue, maybe even better than the words in his own tongue that night he healed her after the Tiger's impudence of more things than one. After all, she'll understand them.

He chastises himself. He is not a coward. Soon, he promises, soon.

His car is parked behind her house and shielded from view by trees. His presence will remain unknown but to those who visit her and park behind her house. He knows she trusts those that do, though he dislikes the risk.

Just before going into the "hidey hole," he makes a detour to her living room to retrieve his phone. He sends his child a text message regarding his absence on Ladies' Night. He can just imagine her ear splitting grin when she sees it.

He is about to set it down, when he gets a text back from Pam, 'Finally,' it reads. He can't help but smirk. There is another beep, 'I am never wearing a Playboy bunny costume and hosting a frat party again. FFS make it work. …Goodnight Master.'

And even he has to smile at that.

Once again, he makes sure every window and door is secure, before he retires into her "hidey hole" in the room across from hers. He is lethargic and slow and finally, he too is gone.

* * *

When Sookie woke up the next morning, she felt better than she had the day before. She felt a bit easier and she felt safe in her own house for once. She thought that was strange but she stored that thought away. The sun cast yellow rays across the cracks in the blinds and into her room. It cast everything in a warm glow, so unlike the cold outside.

Sookie snuggled into the sheets, deciding to doze a little. She sniffed her sheets and smiled. There, that was Eric's scent, she recognized. It was nice and she liked waking up to it. It was about ten o'clock, the sun was bright on the thin blanket of snow outside and she thought she might just hear the sound of cooking. Was Amelia up? Well, only one way to find out.

She sat up in bed and frowned upon noticing Eric's hoodie and his rolled up socks at the foot of his bed. Had he stayed the night? Really? She dug into her memories and found she had a half asleep one, maybe it was a dream? It was so vague and fuzzy. She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She'd check the "hidey hole."

Sookie pushed back her sheets and slowly walked to her door. Pausing, she looked back at Eric's hoodie. It _was_ cold. She went over and pulled on his hoodie. Feeling silly, she giggled, she absolutely swam in it. Seeing herself in the mirror was even more evidence of that. She brought up the sleeve to her nose and inhaled. It was like aromatherapy, the scent of Eric, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent and maybe a hint of his cologne.

Rolling up his sleeves, she walked out the door, but not before pulling on Pam's booties. They were nice and warm on her bare feet. She crossed the threshold and smelled the breakfast cooking on the stove, bacon, eggs and pancakes. It made her pause for a moment, but she continued on to her old room and opened her closet.

She found the items moved and the carpet folded over. She knew it was all the evidence she really needed, but she felt she had to see him. She glanced over her shoulder, checking the windows. Yes, they were shut and concealed.

Kneeling, she found the secret latch, a panel of hardwood that was concealed by the carpet and pressed it in just the right way. The floor sprang up an inch, just enough for her to slide the top over. Eric had improved the specifications on Bill's design in the past week himself. She had to hand it to him, it was even better than before. Eric was particularly good and blending the colours of the original wood to match what he had replaced it with. He had told her that he would prefer it to have even more safety features and it was in no way complete, but as it had before, it would do well.

When she had pushed the wood aside enough, Eric was revealed to her lying in the black, light tight space. It was lined with a small, thin mattress, but that was all the creature comforts he had added. Sookie smiled as she took in the sight of him. He had stayed.

There was an air of innocence to his face as he slept. It was sweet. She imagined he had looked as a boy in this way. She could see him as a good wild boy. She envisioned him running along streams, catching small game, getting his clothes dirty, fighting other boys and terrorizing the girls. Well, terrorizing the other girls until he finally became interested in them and then he terrorized them in different ways. She chuckled.

She couldn't help running a hand over his cool cheek. He was so prone in this state, unlike he was at night. Now it was her turn, "I'll protect you, I'll keep you safe," she whispered and then concealed him and the "hidey hole" once more.

After taking care of her morning business, washing her face, brushing her teeth and combing out her hair, Sookie made her way into the kitchen. It almost reminded her of being a child and seeing Gran in the mornings with all the windows open and the bright sun flooding into the room.

"Hi, Amelia," she said softly.

"Hi, Roomie," Amelia replied with a slight smile. Her eyes were red and raw from all the crying and her hair looked rumpled.

"How are you?" asked Sookie.

"Okay, not great, but I'll get there one day."

"Yeah."

"I just had to get out of my room. It's too stifling in there right now," Amelia explained. She got a sad look in her eyes, but sniffled shook her head, willing it away.

"Here's some pancakes. They're banana. And the eggs and bacon," said Amelia, handing her a plate of food. Sookie took it from her and sat down at the kitchen table. The pair ate in silence for a few minutes. The company was subdued and slightly awkward, but better than it had been in a few days. Getting through the funeral had been hard, but she'd held Amelia's hand through it, offering her some strength.

Sookie had hated the whispering for both of them, the slandering of Tray's name, the gossiping on Amelia and Tray, her 'car accident', her appearance. And it wasn't just the whispers, it was their thoughts too. That was worse. They had made it through though.

Before digging into the food, Sookie had taken out a measuring cup and poured out 100mL of the concoction like Niall had advised and gulped it down. She was surprised that it wasn't horrible tasting. It tasted somewhat fruity and exotic. She found that she felt better almost immediately. Amelia commented that it appeared that her skin had cleared up some too. Sookie also felt energized and more strength returned to her than in the days since her attack.

She was eating her food, while Amelia kept shooting her looks, as if trying to clue her into something. Amelia sighed and finally opened up her mouth to talk.

"So…Loverboy stayed over?" asked Amelia. The hint of mischief was missing in her eyes, but her spirit was still there.

"How'd you know?" asked Sookie, a little shocked by the question.

"The Corvette parked out back," Amelia said, gesturing with her head and taking a bite of eggs.

"Yes, Amelia, he stayed over," Sookie admitted.

"So…"

Sookie stayed silent.

"Oh c'mon! What happened?" she asked, "I know he had a night off."

"We watched _The Princess Bride,_" Sookie answered at last.

Amelia threw down her fork on her plate loudly. Her eyes began to water. She pushed her chair back, it scraped loudly on the floor. She stood and went to towards the sink, "I can't believe this!" she seethed.

"I don't see how it's any of your business," Sookie said defensive.

"You're so clueless, you know that?" Amelia accused.

Sookie was about to refute her accusation, but Amelia continued, "He loves you completely, can't you see that? Can't you see that you love him too? Is it so hard to see?"

"No.." Sookie shook her head, she felt like she was backed into a corner, she couldn't deal with this, not now. Everything in her body told her to flee. She reacted in the only way she could, the words returning to her like a mantra, she recited them as such, "He enjoys the taste of the fairy in my blood and the blood bond toys with emotions. Amelia, it's not..."

"Do you even listen to yourself? It's a load of crap and you know it! You're wasting the time you could spend with him."

Sookie had lost her appetite and she had to get out of the room, she had to go. She put down her fork down.

"For fuck's sake, Sookie. You're his freaking heart's desire!" Amelia yelled.

Sookie looked up, shocked, "How…how do you know that?"

"Pam told me about the curse," Amelia replied.

Sookie ran her fingers through her hair and closed her eyes tight, this was so not happening.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Amelia's curse, "Shit."

She had a hand over her mouth and ran to the bathroom. Sookie heard her retching. She sighed and grabbed a glass of water and headed to the bathroom.

Entering, she found Amelia sobbing as she retched, sprawled over the toilet. Sookie went over, brushed aside her hair and rubbed her back.

"It's okay Amelia. Did you eat something? You feel warm. How's your throat? It's probably just the flu," Sookie soothed.

Amelia turned and looked Sookie dead in the eyes, her eyes red, tear tracks down her face, "No, it's not. It's been happening for a week. Only in the mornings."

"Oh God, Amelia…"

Amelia brushed her away, "Don't…We all wish for some guy to look at us the way Eric looks at you. What does anything else matter? What are you waiting for?"

Sookie was quiet.

Amelia's sobbing increased, "I had that guy, Sookie. He's gone. You could lose him in a second too. He's not invincible."

"He can destroy me, Amelia. Don't tell me he can't," Sookie said after a long moment. Her panic had subsided to a dull throb in the back of her mind.

Amelia sighed, "You don't know that he will. He deserves a chance. You know that he does. You'll regret it if you don't."

And then quieter, "Maybe not today. Maybe not tomorrow, but soon and for the rest of your life."

Sookie smiled slightly, "_Casablanca_?"

"It fits," Amelia said.

"Yeah."

"And the 1940s studios sucked. You knew she would've gone back to Rick…" Amelia said before rinsing out her mouth and gulping down the water. She had been on an old movie kick in the time since the funeral.

"Amelia?"

"Yeah?" she said fatigued.

"I told him we'd have our talk tonight." Sookie felt the need to tell Amelia that, to tell herself too.

"Good."

Sookie was about to answer her when the scent of smoke assaulted her senses.

"Amelia, do you smell that?"

"Yeah…something's burning. I didn't leave anything on…at least, I don't think I did…" Amelia said, perplexed.

Sookie stood and started into the hall with Amelia following. To their surprise, the scent came not from the kitchen, but somewhere around the front of the house.

"It must be outside," Amelia reasoned.

The pair bustled out the front door and down the front steps in just their pyjamas. Turning, they were met with a startling sight. Licking up the side of the house, upon a section of the wraparound porch, with black smoke, thick and billowing to the heavens were large angry orange flames.

* * *

Yes, not quite THE talk…but a talk. And yes, a little hint to Amnesia!Eric…he had what Appius had stolen from him. His innocence, his faith in humanity. Yes, 'as you wish' means 'I love you' here too lol. There are just so many parallels with _The Princess Bride _that I didn't realize fit so well until I used it, like the fact that both Buttercup and Westley are blue eyed blonds lol. The Casablanca bit…it just happened when I used the regret line…and I'm like…okay, have to do it lol.

And why I call it a fiefdom instead of area…well, Eric thinks of it as a fief more than an area. The word fief says more about the hierarchy and the structure of vampires than area does. Eric calls it an area in colloquial terms…but the area is a fief and he thinks of it as such. And it will come into play in the future.

And I've noticed that Sookie says Pam's name whenever she's annoyed with her in my fic. Also, what Pam is alluding to when she explains why she does what she does for Eric and why he's a good person is based on Confucian reciprocity. It's part of Eric's pragmatism but it's also why he's a good leader. People serve him because he realizes he can get their loyalty and trust by being fair and good to them.

On the 'good wild boy' thing. Ellen Degeneres asked Josh Holloway on her show if he was a good boy or a wild boy, Josh responded, "I was a good wild boy." Huge Lost and Josh/Sawyer fan lol. And I wrote that scene with E in the leather jacket before the promo pics came out with AS in the awesome leather jacket with his arms crossed. So there! Lol.

Some house vandalism was always going to happen in this chapter, but I didn't know what I wanted it to be until I was like…hmm…Eric's in the house…he's asleep. FIRE! Lol. I'm calling it vandalism. That's important lol. And Pam hosting the frat party was pretty spontaneous. I wrote Sookie asking Eric what the worst thing he ever did to Pam was and then the frat party came into my head. And then I knew it had to be because of what she did in ATD. I could just hear Pam saying in Kristin Bauer's voice "I'm hosting the fucking frat party!" too lol. Poor Pam, she had enough of their waffling.

I think I'm gonna call Chapter 2, Blooddrunk. I'm a big Children of Bodom fan. It will feature more of Eric's perspective. I'm not sure when it will be out, but probably after True Blood's second season premieres. I've got an exam on Thursday…so…that's not to say I still won't be trying to put away an hour or two a night to churn it out. This thing is already 25 and a bit pages and 10 825 words long dammit! Lol. And editing! In 10 days! Lol. I also typically add instead of take away when I edit to...ugh..hehehe.

As usual, I would love to hear your feedback.

~simba_317


	3. Chapter Two: Blooddrunk

**Disclaimer:** I am a merely a poor, broke university student writing fanfiction. I don't own anything, just my ideas lol.

**Author's Notes:** I got like 14 reviews in like 6 hours. That kinda rocks. You all rock lol. You truly don't know how awesome this fandom is. I've written for other fandoms and not gotten such great response after only two chapters. Thank you for your kind words and wishing me well for the test.

Before I go further, since QT's been wondering lol, I do have a huge mythology mapped out and I'm basically getting the relationship angst stuff over quickly to move onto the bigger, grander things. That's not to say there won't be more relationship angst…just that FFS, the two will know where they stand with each other and all that jazz.

I named this chapter Blooddrunk. I'm a huge Children of Bodom fan. I got to see them live this spring with Lamb of God and it kicked serious ass. I actually got to meet Alexi, Henkka and Roope at a signing. It was really awesome and they're all super nice. I got signed copies of _Blooddrunk_ and _Follow the Reaper, _some photos and a lot of good memories of that day. It was like the best day ever to see them live and meet them. I still look at those things and go 'I really DID meet them!' Anyway, the title does kinda refer to Eric, because he does get to have a beat down…but the title more accurately refers to someone else due to the lyrics of the song. It's sort of a metaphor for this person. You can go google them lol. You'll also find the video on youtube…it always reminds me of the Alice in Chains _Dirt _cover. Of course, like Eric, I love my special edition of _Blooddrunk _with the DVD, because the cover, which was their best, has the blood splatters raised because the paper was pressed up lol.

Amelia IS pregnant, but this is Amelia. She's not gonna be taken out of the action so easy. Lol. And we're gonna find out exactly why Eric was no where to be found when Sookie was taken. This chapter will also be broken down into sections a bit more…kinda like vignettes.

* * *

**CHAPTER TWO: BLOODDRUNK**

"Oh my God!" cried Amelia, her hand covering her mouth in shock.

The flames had begun to lick and devour the shingles that topped the wraparound porch. Sookie stood stock still in shock. Visions of the flames that destroyed her kitchen flew into her head and even more disturbingly, the bombing at Rhodes. Fear swept into her and she could not stop its thrust upon her mind. She could hear her breathing, obnoxiously loud in her ears and her sight began to blur. Everything felt so far away, she was completely ensconced by the sheer panic.

Sookie vaguely saw Alcide and a few other Weres dart out from the woods, surrounding her house, yelling something. Amelia seemed to recover quickly, running towards the flames. _Why was she doing that?_ Sookie's mind couldn't process it.

She saw Amelia scoop a large handful of snow in both her palms, as she kneeled in front of the fire. Amelia closed her eyes and she started chanting. Still, for Sookie there was such a disconnect and she couldn't place why.

After a few moments, she heard Amelia's voice, though muted and as if through water, "I can't stop it! I don't know why! I can't stop it…I can't!" she sounded panicked and hysterical.

Alcide's hand clasped Sookie's shoulder and began to pull her away from the scene.

Suddenly, everything snapped into focus. Her blinding terror. _ERIC! _The thought slammed against her mind. _NO! THE FIRE! NO! _

The next thing she knew, she was pushing Alcide aside.

"Sookie, what are you doing?" he yelled, grabbing her torso, in a stronghold.

"No, let go of me!" she screamed, hysterical, "Let go of me!" Alcide did not relent.

Sookie reacted, she brought up her elbow and heard it connect on Alcide's nose. His grip loosened, she kicked his shin and pushed his body away. The next thing she knew she was running, the snow coming up in wafts behind her as she clamoured up the stairs and into the smoke filled house.

Meanwhile, one of Alcide's Weres, an attractive male with dark hair and eyes, quickly approached Amelia. He had been one of Tray's friends in the pack, so he came here now to protect the woman he died protecting out of honour and to see to it that the woman he loved would be alright.

"You've gotta get away from there, Amelia," he shouted pulling her off.

"Why can't I stop this?" Amelia said, sounding far away, "I…I don't get it."

"Sweetheart, we gotta go," Winston shouted, grabbing her arms.

Amelia seemed to snap, "No, no!" she shouted.

She swatted Winston's arms away and looked back at the flames transfixed for a long moment. Winston was stunned. He had fallen back a few feet. Something about her posture screamed _other_. A heady scent filled the air. It was one in all his years he could only describe as this, magic. The aura of magic surrounded Amelia. It was as if she was in a trance. Everything about it told him to give her space and leave her uninterrupted.

Slowly, Amelia brought up her hand, palm up to the flames. Her eyes seemed to glow…

* * *

Sookie pushed aside the door roughly and ran inside her home. The air was thick and smoky.

She ignored the irritation the smoke caused her body and kept on going. Energy seeped into her veins. If she had been lucid to it, she would have questioned it. Was it the fairy concoction? Was it her adrenaline? All her thoughts were centred on one thing though, Eric. Finding him and extracting him from the house. She had to keep him safe. She had to have him make it out alive. She couldn't fathom or ponder the consequences if he didn't.

She heard Alcide calling from the outside but not really.

"Eric!" Sookie screamed, fearful as the smoke filled the living room. She coughed and her eyes began to water. She didn't stop. She ran past the kitchen, the hall and finally into her old bedroom.

Ripping the blanket off the bed, Sookie preyed it was large enough and light tight enough to secure Eric. Her body screamed to react and she was reacting. Throwing open the door to the closet, she was instantly on her knees heaving the carpet from the floor. She slammed her fist on the panel of wood.

Nothing happened. Sookie's panic flooded to the forefront.

"Fuck! Fuck!" she cursed. She slammed it again. Nothing.

"Dammit! Open, Goddammit!" she cried hysterically. Tears began pouring down her face. _No! No! This was not happening!_

She took a shaky breath and tried again, praying to God, or to whoever existed, that they may allow her this one action. _Please._

To her infinite relief, the floor popped up that one inch it took for her to slide the floor away and reveal Eric in the "hidey hole," completely unaware to the dangers around him.

Quickly, Sookie threw the blanket over Eric and then reached under his armpits and pulled up. She fell back down almost as quickly as she began and Eric had only moved about six inches. His dead head, concealed by the blanket, was now propped up against the bottom of the "hidey hole."

"Shit!" Sookie yelled in frustration. The hot tears and sobs began to increase. She couldn't give up. She had to get him out. She had to. She had no other choice.

Sookie reached under his arm pits again and let out a scream as she hefted him up using brute strength. She pulled him out of the hole as far as she could before setting him down on the floor in a seated position with his back resting against her legs. Sookie then reached around his broad chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his torso. She wished Eric weren't so big in that moment, but brushed it away quickly. Gritting her teeth, he hefted up and lifted and began pulling him out the way she came.

Looking behind her and coughing, she realized the front door was too dangerous to reach. She'd have to go out the kitchen. Her hallway had never felt so long, now that she was pulling about 220 pounds or more of Viking muscle with her.

Pulling Eric around the corner was difficult, but she managed it. Luckily, the kitchen was still relatively smoke free, so she took a deep breath. She concentrated on the last couple metres, past the table, past the island, past the cabinets and finally, the door.

She had to put Eric down to open the kitchen door and swing it open. Sookie grunted and repeated the process of hefting Eric up to behind his waist so she could secure her arms around his chest. Then, once again, she pulled Eric backwards out the door, hoping, praying that he wouldn't burn.

She slipped on the first step and landed hard on her side on the snowy ground. Eric was half off the small staircase, an exposed arm starting to burn. She could hear the slow sizzle of his flesh.

"Fuck!"

Ignoring her pain, Sookie, quickly tucked his arm under the blanket and continued pulling. Her unbalance caused her to fall on her butt and Eric to fall on top of her, but he was out of the house. Sookie reached under him and pulled him a few metres from the house on the gravel walkway that had been freshly shovelled.

Finally completed, a great sense of relief filled her senses as she allowed herself to fall onto Eric, clutching his shoulders, completely spent. Sookie was only mildly aware that the flames had dissipated.

* * *

Alcide was flabbergasted. He wiped the blood off his lip. How did Sookie Stackhouse, frail and healing thing that she was just flatten him? No matter, he had to get that trouble magnet out of trouble. There she was running into burning buildings again. Alcide could scarcely believe that she saved Eric Northman by getting the old vampire to awaken from his daytime sleep in Rhodes. He believed she'd do something like that though. She sure was something.

Leaping to his heels, Alcide started to go after her into the house, but something caught his eye as he ran towards it.

With her outstretched palm and glowing eyes, Amelia began to chant.

Alcide could feel the magical energy surrounding him. He saw Winston back away from Amelia slightly. His other Weres were doing the same. Alcide continued running, but suddenly, Amelia's glowing eyes were pinned to his. Her free hand snatched up and made a flicking gesture. Alcide was flat on his back again.

Well, that was woman number two within a minute. What's a guy to do?

Alcide sat up and watched Amelia. Obviously, he wasn't supposed to enter the house. He watched amazed as the flames retreated and dissipated. The energy seemed to flow into Amelia herself. He had never seen anything like it. Little by little, the flames receded, until at last, they were gone completely.

It was then Amelia slumped and fainted as if her strings had been cut. Winston caught her before she fell to the ground. Winston caught his eye and nodded, he would look after Amelia.

He needed to check on Sookie.

Alcide lifted his nose to the air and sniffed, inhaling. _Ahh, there she was, behind the kitchen…With Eric Northman!? _

Alcide ran in the direction of the kitchen, his feet sloshing and crunching on the mix of snow and gravel. Just a he rounded the corner, he was met with an astonishing sight. Sookie Stackhouse was laying on top of a prone, blanket covered form, no doubt the vampire sheriff of Area 5, clutching his shoulders in desperation. Alcide took in the distress marked upon her face, her red eyes and tear tracks. This girl clearly was made of strong stuff. She had just lugged Eric Northman, no small man by any means, outside and to safety, all by herself.

She was most definitely worthy of being a Friend of the Long Tooth Pack.

As soon as Sookie heard the gravel announcing his presence, her head snapped up. Instantly, Sookie jumped to a defensive position and glared at him with an intensity and determination Alcide had never seen before.

"Get away, Alcide!" she yelled at him, "Get away!" She was like a wild animal, cornered, ready to lash out and attack. Alcide was reminded of a mother bear protecting her cubs. Alcide had no illusions regarding the fact that she would fight him to the death, regardless of her health and relatively weak disposition at the moment.

Slowly, carefully, Alcide backed off a little and raised his hands in a no harm gesture, taking in Sookie's appearance, the nightgown, the booties and the hoodie that had to belong to one Eric Northman.

"I mean no harm, Sookie. I'm just here to help you. Amelia put the fire out, okay?" he said.

"I need you to back off!" she repeated, gritting her teeth.

"You can't get him all the way back inside without help," Alcide reasoned.

"I got him out, I can get him back in!" she refuted stubbornly, determined.

"Sookie, I'm your friend, I'm here to help you," he said soothingly.

Sookie shook her head, but Alcide could see she was wavering.

"Sookie, I give you my word, as a friend and also because you are a Friend of the Long Tooth Pack and as Packmaster, that I will not reveal the location of Sheriff Northman's daytime resting place in your house. I swear it," Alcide promised with sencerity.

Sookie's shoulders slumped. "Okay," she said softly. She looked exhausted.

Alcide approached her slowly. He noted the way Sookie eyed him with suspicion. He took care not to make sudden movements.

Carefully, Alcide approached the bundle and got on one knee to reach under the Viking's knees and back. Sookie helped him out. He grunted from the effort as he hauled up the dead weight, pun intended.

"Do they make low fat True Blood?" he asked.

Sookie rolled her eyes and snorted, but quickly led him towards the house, holding open the door to the kitchen. She hustled through the kitchen and the halls, casting a vigilant eye in all the windows to make sure they were concealed. At last, she directed him into a smallish bedroom, just as his arms were really starting to protest.

"In here," she said and pointed to the open closet. As he entered the room, Sookie shut the door behind him. With some difficult manoeuvring, he was able to slip Eric back into the space.

Sookie came up behind him with a pillow in hand. He watched as she made small repositions to make Eric comfortable and slipped the pillow under his head, before asking him to turn around as she secured Eric into the bolt hole. She pulled the blanket from his face and brushed some hair off his forehead and cheeks, whispering softly to him.

_Looks like the two of them finally got together._ It was probably a long time coming. Anybody with eyes could see it.

Just as Sookie finished concealing the hidden floor with various boxes and objects, there was a knock at the door.

"Alcide, the two of you are gonna wanna see this," called Winston from the other side.

As Sookie secured the closet door, Alcide said, "Alright, we're just comin' out."

Alcide opened the door and Winston led the pair of them out the front door to the side of the house where the fire had occurred. Amelia was just coming to.

Emblazoned in vengeful red were the words, "BLOOD TRAITORS SHALL PERISH" against the black smoke washed white of the house.

Sookie sighed, this again. "Looks like I've gotta call the FBI that came by. The Fellowship of the Sun ran by."

"No, that's impossible Sookie," Alcide said, shaking his head, "We would've sensed their approach."

The three Weres in Alcide's service nodded in agreement.

"Whoever did that wasn't of this world," Amelia said weakly, rubbing her head and coming to. A red haired Were helped her to her feet.

"What do you mean?" Sookie asked.

"I couldn't stop the flames. The magic, whatever it was, wasn't human," Amelia said firmly.

"But you did, Amelia," said Winston, "I saw with my own eyes."

"That's impossible," Amelia insisted, shaking her head, "I passed out from the smoke."

"No, I saw your eyes glow. You put your hands towards the fire and began chanting. I've never heard anything like it. Next thing I know, the flames are disappearing until finally, they were gone. Hell, you even knocked Alcide flat on his ass with a flick of the wrist!" Winston regaled.

"I can attest to both things," Alcide said a little reluctantly. No one liked having their male pride wounded after all.

Amelia looked confused and shocked, "I…I gotta call Octavia," she said and ran into the house abruptly.

Sookie looked at Alcide and sighed, "So what am I looking at here?" she asked referring to the damage to her house, again.

Alcide gave the damage and critical eye and made some calculations by prodding the damage with his boots, listening to the sounds it made.

"It ain't lookin' too bad, Sookie. No structural damage. It's mostly aesthetic. It won't cost you an arm or a leg. No more than two grand or so. Hell, I'd even throw it in for free for all you've done for us," he said.

"Oh no," Sookie said, shaking her head, "I'll pay for it," she insisted.

He couldn't resist, Alcide let a smirk poke his features, "I don't think the beau will let you."

Sookie sighed.

"I've got no problem charging him, but the offer still stands," he laughed.

Looks like this would be yet another run on the tab Eric had used to pay for her house…

* * *

After the craziness of the morning and everything had settled down some, the group had agreed not to alert the authorities of the attack and house damage. Alcide would perform the repairs off the books and the only workers would be Weres he trusted.

Amelia had reached Octavia but to her dismay, Octavia could offer no assistance except to promise Amelia to do some deep research on the matter and call her back with her findings.

They had decided to go down to Merlotte's for lunch, in order to get out of the house. Sam had, unsurprisingly, not been pleased to learn of what had gone down.

"What can I say Sam? They're always coming after me no matter what I do," Sookie had said. Sam had just frowned and shook his head in unease.

"I wish I could do more, Sook," he had said.

Currently, Sookie was sitting out on the bench in back porch by the kitchen, sipping a hot chocolate, trying to unwind. It was about 2:30pm and the light was getting ready to wane. She was wearing a pair of old jeans, a white long sleeve tee with a thin black v-neck knit sweater over top and of course, Eric's hoodie. She hadn't taken it off all day, except to change. She felt better with it on. It was comforting, making her feel a little more secure. Sookie could imagine it was almost like being enveloped by Eric. Not quite the same, but it'd do with the scent of Eric all around her.

The Weres had switched their shift and four new Weres now patrolled the woods surrounding her house. Alcide had gone back to Shreveport to oversee his construction company. Thursdays was his half day, so he had taken it upon himself to personally take a shift watching over Sookie's property. Alcide seemed to be much more comfortable and settled into his new position as Packmaster. It suited him well. He had good ideas and his youth and innovation had been key to the success of the Shreveport Weres' coming out. He was still mourning the loss of Maria-Star but he seemed to be coming around.

Amelia had gone to take a nap finally. She had felt exhausted after the fire, but had refused to rest in her resolve to find out what had happened to her. Reaching nothing but dead ends, Sookie had finally been able to convince her to rest and so the Witch was out like a light, sleeping everything off. Sookie was concerned for Amelia. First Tray was gone, then she might be pregnant and now who knows what happened to her during the fire? What was the saying? Bad things come in threes? Certainly, there was always joy associated with a child, but a child who would never know his or her own father…that was just horrible. Still, maybe this baby would get to actually experience the world.

Sookie felt shell shocked from the day's events. First off the fire, the magical fire, who could have possibly set it? Not to mention the message. It was so similar to something the FOTS would write, but Amelia had assured them all it was by no means human, not in its inception or the magic used. Only the fairies Neave and Lochlan had imitated a FOTS attack to take down Crystal. However, they were dead. She had seen it with her own eyes. Sookie couldn't handle the idea that they weren't. It was just too much. Perhaps they were other fairies, but what vendetta did they have against her? Dermott had a vast contingent of fairies after him, there was no way he was bold enough to come to her now. Besides, Amelia's wards were strong and she was quite sure Niall had affixed some wards himself as well.

What troubled her most wasn't the attempt on her life, Amelia's too or her house, it was Eric.

She remembered the overwhelming fear that she had been submerged in, the dread that filled her mouth and lungs, the terror that absorbed into every pore, the anxiety surging into her brain and the panic that flowed into her veins and invaded her heart. It had been complete and total the minute she knew she he could be taken from her, extinguished. It was too real and too close. And she couldn't shake it from her mind.

His name had pounded in staccato in her ears loudly as everything in her being screamed for her to get him out. She knew with certainty she would have given up had she not been able to get his "hidey hole" open.

It was almost unthinkable and it scared her.

She knew she would never do that for any other. Just him.

She wouldn't run into exploding buildings or burning buildings for anyone else.

_You're mine to lose. _

Losing him was an unbearable thought. It was dark and it hurt her. Her body ached at the thought. She could feel pain in her chest, her lungs constrict. She even felt sick at the prospect. Her stomach was twisting in knots just with that possibility.

She couldn't lose him and the thought rang through her entire body with clarity.

Sookie knew she couldn't kid herself anymore. She cared about Eric more than she had ever cared about anyone else. She couldn't think when it came to him because she just reacted. Everything in her being wanted to be with him. Everything in her was drawn to him, his smile, his laughter, his company.

Did he love her? She desperately wanted and needed that answer to be yes. She couldn't handle the possibility if he didn't, she realized. It was what scared her most, that she could feel so much for him but not have it returned.

In her life of heartbreaks, the possibility of this one was the one that mattered most.

She hugged his hoodie closer to her, needing reassurance. The brisk wind whirling around her porch and its soft whistling sounds calmed her. The air was crisp and clear. In the distance, the hearty birds, immune to the cold could be heard chirping. The snow spun in light circles on the grass as the wind tickled it. Trees, stately and serene surrounded her sight. Wisps of steam rose and evaporated into the cool air from her hot chocolate. She stared at the warm brown liquid mildly.

She sipped it slowly.

Just as the liquid trickled down the back of her throat, she felt the air change.

She felt a cold hand reach from behind her and then touch her cheek. She was gone.

* * *

The first thing Sookie was aware of when she started coming to was the sun and her deep golden rays. Rays that indicated the oncoming death of another day. They burned and blared into her weary eyes. She blinked them away. Her body was so heavy. She wanted to go back to sleep, but knew she mustn't.

Strange, she felt slightly off her axis and she was on her side. It felt like she was moving…

She was then aware of the numbness in her limbs and the feeling of a cushioned seat, plush and soft. A hair brushed over her eye. She began to reach for it, but was met with resistance.

This was when Sookie realized she was hogtied. Panic bubbled into her throat. Her awareness suddenly peaked and sharpened. Her eyes took sweeping glances all around. She was in a car, a midsized sedan. The radio area indicated a Ford, a Taurus maybe? She was hogtied lying on her side in the plushy grey seats and was secured to the car by a seat belt wrapped around her waist. The buckle was out of her reach. She was travelling fast and could hear the whipping of the wind through the windows, a highway, she reasoned.

Her eyes snapped to the digital clock on the console, just after 3:30pm, she'd been out for maybe an hour. From her vantage point, the windows were useless. She had no idea where she was or where she was headed.

"I see you're awake," said the voice behind the wheel. It was male and chilled her to her bone. It sounded exactly like the guy she'd dunk into the creek behind Gran's, the guy she waited to open Christmas presents with, the guy who taught her how to bat a softball…it sounded like Jason, only the accent was wrong.

The figure turned, peering over his shoulder. His features were nearly identical to her brother's. Yet she could never see her brother doing this to her, not even now, considering where they stood.

Except as his face became clearer, one difference appeared. His ears were pointed.

"Dermot!" she breathed.

"Yes. So you've heard of me," he said.

"Your reputation precedes you," Sookie spat out.

He laughed slightly, "I see Father told you about me." He said the word father with venom. His eyes had turned back to the road as well.

"Where are you taking me?" Sookie demanded. She figured she may as well try to get information and it was only 3:30, no help until at least 5:30 or later. Amelia probably couldn't tell and she was napping. Who knew about the Weres? They couldn't sense the attack earlier. The thought depressed her and gnawed at her. Anger was better than fear, better than never being able to tell Eric that she was as 'in' as he was. She felt he was all in at least. She hoped he was.

"Monroe," Dermot replied matter-of-factly, "There's a portal there. It goes right into Niall's home." Sookie knew this wasn't going to be a social visit and the ominous air hung in the car.

She asked the question anyway, softer, "What are you gonna do with me?"

"Leave your body in the lawns."

"He'll stop you," she said with more bravery than she felt.

"No, Father underestimated me, as always. He never thought I'd come back here, not after he set Breandan's forces back. He never thought I was better than Fintan, but I am."

"I'm not talking about Niall," Sookie said firmly.

Dermot's head whipped back at her, his eyes glaring, "You're just like her! Disgusting. You stink of vampire," he said spitefully. "It doesn't matter, your Vampire won't be able to save you."

"He'll kill you," and Sookie was certain of that. No matter what the outcome, Eric would. She didn't find solace in it.

"Look out the windows, little girl, it's daylight. He will not find you, save for your body. Niall would send that to him out of courtesy, as you're his _wife_. Besides, the bond you share is weak now. The range is far too great," he gloated.

So here she was, two hours before nightfall, with no one noticing her disappearance and no way for the one person who could track her to come. Sookie's eyes started to water, but she took deep gulps of air. She would not cry in front of him.

Dermot spared her a glance out of the corner of his eye in the rear view mirror, "If it pleases you, I'll wait until nightfall. I'll even let you watch the sunset. But know this, it will be your last. You'll get to wait for your Vampire. If he's lucky, he'll feel you die."

"What did Niall ever do to you!?" Sookie screamed.

"What did he do?" Dermot seethed, "WHAT DID HE DO!? He favoured Fintan. I wasn't good enough. Ever. Fintan could pass for fairy, but not me. Not Dermot. Never Dermot. Stupid, crazy fool thought that a human woman would give him children as graceful as fairies. He got Fintan…and he got Dermot. Good, brilliant Fintan, so beautiful, so pure. He _must_ be a fairy. And Dermot. Fintan's Twin. Always Fintan's Twin. Never Dermot. No. Dermot wasn't good enough, he wasn't pure enough! Well, if Dermot isn't pure enough, Dermot will just make them all pure! Then maybe they'll just all be happy!"

"So that's why you joined Breandan?" Sookie said, "You joined a bunch of racists because people hated you? You joined the very people who hate you."

"No," Dermot said slowly, "You won't understand. You're just like Fintan and Niall and all of the rest of _them_."

"Don't patronize me," she returned with rancour.

Dermot snorted, "Don't pretend to understand what you know nothing of. The Viking is involved in this too. The Great Bloodslayer," he mocked.

Shock passed through Sookie's face and she wished she could master that vampire stillness.

"Don't look so surprised. Did you forget he was over a thousand years old?" Dermot scorned, "He's got more skeletons than can fit in your Fort Knox."

"Don't you forget thatheis over a thousand years old and will send _your_ body to Niall," Sookie threw back.

"Do you still have so much confidence in Eric Northman? Are you really so naïve? Look around you. You're all alone now."

Sookie wished she could say she didn't believe a word he said, but the damage to her heart was there and every question she had as to why Eric hadn't come for her reared its ugly head again.

"The Witch's Were is dead because of you. Do you think she'll help you now? She doesn't even know you're gone. She isn't even powerful. All she could do was call the fire department. No witch magic can overpower fae. Her wards could not save you from one of your kin. And you, little girl, are stupid, staying, clinging to some weak little house as its defences are breached again and again, so predictable, so easy," he said, sinking he knife deeper into her heart.

Still…a thought piqued her curiosity, Dermot must not have seen the damage of the fire, for Amelia did put out the flames. She could only pray. She could only hope.

She then realized the car was slowing and high street lamps were beginning to show. The ride was almost over. She would be in Monroe soon and she had until sundown to live. She wondered if Eric would even be able to feel her go. She didn't know which was better, having him know or blissful ignorance.

* * *

When Eric awoke he was aware of three things.

He had been moved during his daytime sleep and it wasn't just because of the blanket and the pillow, he smelled soot and smoke in the air, indicating a fire. He knew he had been moved as well. There was a lingering burn and a few sores which must have occurred when he was taken from the flames. No matter. He pushed that concern out of his mind. He was alive and had not met his final death.

His teeth lengthened and his eyes narrowed, the scent of fairy magic clung to the soot and smoke. Not only that, a physical fairy, well half fairy. He immediately recognized Dermot's scent.

Third and most disturbing of all was the weak pulse of his bond with Sookie. She was so far away. Treachery. His body tensed and he growled. Tiredness dashed from his body, despite the fact it was an hour until sunset. He should be so lucky to be so old.

He felt fear, it soured inside his mouth and fury ripped up through his body. He attempted to send her some semblance of calm, but he didn't know how effective it was with his overwhelming emotions and the distance. All he was aware of was her life and her fear.

Eric released the latch inside the "hidey hole" and slid the secret panel open as the top popped up. Every action was performed with speed and barely contained anger. Wrapping the blanket around him, he jumped to his feet and exited through the closet. Pulling the blanket over his head, he made a quick detour to Sookie's room and pulled on his socks. Luckily, she had left the curtains closed in the room. He glanced around the room, feeling sorrow at her absence, his prior failure and allowed the rage to consume him. Oh yes, Dermot's head would be his tonight.

He extended his spatial awareness and his sense of smell. There, the Witch was upstairs. He should go there first. Covering himself with the blanket once more, he hurried down the hall and up the stairs. Finding the Witch's room, he shoved the door open with force and slammed it shut as he entered. He threw off the blanket. The room was dark and curtained.

Amelia woke up to a start.

"WITCH! WHERE IS MY WIFE?" he bellowed.

Amelia gasped at the sight of him. Eric's presence stole the room. Sitting at the bed, Eric only looked larger. He was terrifying, his muscles completely taught and tense, his body hunched, ready to attack. The way his fingers had curled into claws at his sides, the long sharp fangs glinting in the dim light, fully extended and his eyes blazing with wrath and vengeance struck fear deep into Amelia's soul.

"I…I don't know! I don't know," Amelia stuttered in fear.

Eric hissed at her. Amelia's blood chilled.

He seemed to take a breath which took the edge off to his demeanour, but only the extreme parts. Amelia could clearly see the rage boiling behind his still blazing eyes and tense body.

"She's…she's missing?" Amelia said slowly, not wanting to get mauled.

"Yes. Taken by Dermot," Eric said softly.

"You can tell from the bond?"

"Yes," Eric said and noticed the other question on her face, "Her great uncle, yes."

"She's still alive?" Amelia asked tightly. Then, checking her bedside clock, "She must have been missing for a few hours…"

"She's alive," Eric whispered sharply, glaring at her. Amelia gulped.

"Now tell me the day's events," Eric said coolly. He had no more time for her questions. Everything in him wanted to race to Sookie's side, but recklessly opposing fairies, even half fairies, was folly. Plus, it was not yet sunset, he had about an hour before he could mobilize.

"We were having breakfast, we got into it regarding you," Amelia looked at him poignantly, "She was being stubborn and blind."

The corner of Eric's mouth slanted just a hint, Amelia took that as indication that he wouldn't suck her dry.

"I felt like was going to hurl, so we took the argument to the bathroom after I made my daily offering to the porcelain goddess," Amelia continued.

Eric frowned and approached her sniffing, "You are with child," he said.

"I…I haven't taken a test…" Amelia said defensively.

"You are with child," Eric repeated firmly. He would make sure that the Were's woman and child would always be well taken care of. The Were had died in defence of his wife and he would honour that. The Witch's room bore the heavy evidence of mourning and Eric could smell the vestiges of tears on her face.

"Continue," he said with a gesture of his hand. He had also seated himself on Amelia's couch across the room which faced the bed. He was leaned forward and taut with his fingers laced at his knees, staring up at her.

"Umm…yeah…Uh, that was when we smelled the smoke. We rushed out and there was a fire. Alcide was here. He said that was when Sookie ran back in to pull you out," Amelia glared at him, "I'll have you know she hauled your butt out of the house all by herself."

Eric's eyebrow quirked, "Did she now?" he said in almost disbelief. Eric knew Sookie had saved him, the sores and the burns were indications of the feat. The inner frustration with his bonded also rose. Here she was, rushing into burning buildings. Again! He would have to talk to her about that.

"Yes," Amelia said, "Alcide helped her get you back into your "hidey hole," but he has sworn to Sookie as Packmaster not to reveal its location."

Eric nodded, "You put out the fire then? There were no others on the property today besides yourself, my bonded, the Packmaster and two shifts of Were guards, as was agreed upon."

"Not exactly," Amelia hedged, looking away.

Eric raised an eyebrow, "Explain."

"I tried every spell I knew," she started, shaking her head, "I couldn't do it! I couldn't put it out. It wasn't human!"

"No, it was fairy magic," Eric enlightened, "And yet the flame was put out by magic. I can smell it."

"I passed out. Alcide and Winston said when I rose that my eyes were glowing, that I raised my palm to the flames, chanted and they gradually disappeared. I…I don't remember it," Amelia finished.

Eric looked deep in thought for a moment, "Curious…" he said to himself.

"No shit," Amelia deadpanned slightly annoyed, "We went for lunch at Merlotte's, told Sam what happened and then came back here. That's when the Weres switched shifts. I've been researching what happened, I phoned Octavia but I've found nothing about what happened. Then, I took and nap. That's all I know. Sookie must have been taken during my nap."

Eric nodded, then approached Amelia, "Do you have a bowl and a knife?"

Amelia nodded, knowing what he meant. She hopped out of bed quickly and grabbed the items from on top of her dresser, a small knife and a shallow bowl. She then handed them to Eric.

Eric placed the bowl in the centre section of the couch and gestured her to sit with him on it with the bowl between them.

"Give me your hand," he said and Amelia stretched out her arm, palm up. Taking the knife, Eric pricked her index finger and turned it down to face the bowl. He pressed down on her finger and allowed several drops of blood to drop into the basin.

Next, Eric repeated the process with himself. As soon as his blood hit the basin, all of the blood gathered to the centre as if magnetized. Then, it began to swirl, creating an intricate pattern, wrapped like vines, until at last a symbol had formed. The symbol was elaborate and swirling and took the form of a mythological Amaranth, newly bloomed.

"Interesting," Eric said.

Amelia balked, "What's going on?"

"It would appear that you are descended from a long line of witches who long ago pledged themselves to the Kingdom of Night. Their abilities were kept in their blood that they had pledged to the king and queen. Training your magic abilities must have finally activated the latent ones in your blood."

"Right."

The Amaranth slowly began to disappear, a faint mist rising in the bowl, until at last, it vanished.

"You were pledged to them too…" Amelia said suddenly, realizing it was the only way in which the symbol would have formed.

"Yes," Eric replied simply.

"Now, I must prepare to go to my beloved," Eric said.

Amelia got a wicked smile, "Your beloved, huh?" Eric simply shot her a look. He needed to make this right. He needed her to know.

"I knew it!" she said.

"Are you done?" Eric asked bitingly.

Amelia smiled, "Yeah, sure."

"Oh, another thing, the words 'BLOOD TRAITORS SHALL PERISH' was put on the house. That mean anything to you?" Amelia asked.

Eric paused, then bluntly, "Yes."

"So you know where she is, Romeo?" Amelia teased.

"East, perhaps Monroe. Niall has long situated a portal there and Dermot has a taste for…theatrics," Eric explained.

"He's trying to get back at daddy," Amelia said.

"Yes. Come downstairs with me. I have a job for you," Eric said to Amelia. He had already stood up and was opening the door to her room.

"Aren't you worried about being crispy?" Amelia asked, holding out the blanket.

"It is about half an hour to sunset, the danger is minimal although you are going to shut the blinds and curtains." Eric explained, "But that is not the task I need."

"Uh, oh, yeah, sure," Amelia said slightly embarrassed.

Eric opened the door for her and Amelia hurried out to cover the windows. She called him down when the task was complete.

"You're lucky you're so old," she said.

"Yes," Eric said as he grabbed the keys to his Corvette in the kitchen. He tossed them to her. She caught them with difficulty. Eric grimaced.

"Fill her up with premium. Come back before sunset. Do not damage her. Bring back three cases of True Blood as well. The 24 bottle cases in O positive," he ordered.

Amelia smiled wide and saluted, "Aye, aye, Captain."

"The gas card is in the centre console," Eric said and picked up his wallet from the table, removing several bills. He handed it to Amelia who put it in her pocket.

He watched as Amelia grabbed a jacket and her purse, slipped on her shoes and entered into his car. Watching edgily as she backed the car and turned it up the drive, he made a mental note to get the clutch checked.

Eric waited until Amelia had rumbled down past Hummingbird Drive in the Corvette, before he went to the front door. He had some business to take care of and he ascertained that the front of the house was sheltered from the sun. Throwing open the front door, he did the same to the enclosed porch door, before leaping off the stairs.

He stalked a good distance onto the lawn before he bellowed, "WERES! WE HAVE BUSINESS!" Eric let the rage fill his summons, part snarl.

Immediately, he felt the fear permeate the air and heard the distant drumming of feet as four Weres bounded towards the house at full speed. It almost made him smile. Their terror was intensified by the tall Viking standing at ready when the sun was still in the sky.

He waited several minutes until all the Weres had arrived, gathered around him He bared his fangs at them, his muscles tense and fists gathered.

"My bonded is missing! What say you to this?" he demanded in a sharp, fierce tone.

He watched their faces, as they scented the air and saw as each realized the failure in their task. Eric growled. He approached and eyed each Were, as if he were inspecting troops. None would meet his eyes. He could literally see their tails between their legs.

He regarded each with narrowed eyes, "Your Packmaster and I will negotiate the terms of your punishments for this complete and total lack of vigilance," he spat.

He smelled their fear again, this time stronger.

"NOW GO!" he ordered furiously, dismissing them, "YOU HAVE NO USE HERE!"

Eric watched as one of the younger Weres let out a yelp of fear and the four of them turned tail and run. He growled at them menacingly and stomped back into the house, heading back to the kitchen.

In the kitchen, he retrieved his phone and began dialling his child's number. He made her keep a phone in her resting place always active. She would be awakening now. It was only 15 minutes until sunset, 15 minutes until he could rescue his bonded, his Sookie.

She picked up on the first ring, "Pamela," he barked, not letting her get a word in, "Retrieve my sword and deliver it to me at my wife's house. Now."

"Yes, master," Pam replied quickly, even though she was slightly groggy. She understood the gravity of the situation in the tone of Eric's voice immediately.

"We're going fairy hunting," Eric elaborated. Pam knew immediately she would be bringing along a few of her favourite weapons.

"I know the sword you desire, master," Pam answered, a smile stretched her features. Life with Sookie Stackhouse was never boring and she knew it was Sookie being abducted by Dermot just by the fury, rage and even a hint of fear in his voice.

"Where will we be going to retrieve her?" Pam asked.

"Monroe," Eric replied.

"Inform Maxwell to run the bar. Send Indira to take care of Bill and to guard the residence."

"Of course. I will require half an hour after the setting of the sun," Pam stated.

"I will see you then," Eric said and then as a second though, "Dress to kill." Then, he hung up.

He had many weapons in his Corvette, but the blade he had in mind was not something to be stored in a car and it was the only blade befitting of Dermot's death, being designed for slaying fairies. Besides, he needed backup, Pam was his wingman. Not only that, he trusted her above all others in his retinue, not simply because she was his child but because of her competency and reliability.

Time was of the essence, but he knew of Dermot's ways and also Niall's. He had time still.

Or so he hoped.

Eric could not spare another absence from her side when she needed it, not just for her, but for him too. He was too edgy to stay still and go into downtime, instead, he paced the living room and formulated the task at hand, weighing every variable and going over all he knew of Dermot and Niall too.

* * *

Sookie had struggled when Dermot pulled her out of the car, kicking and thrashing, or attempting to, all it did was tighten up her hogties and her hands and feet were now painfully constricted. He had stopped in the warehouse district of Monroe. Sookie had tried to scream, but Dermot had taped her mouth shut before hauling her into a nondescript warehouse.

Dermot had taken her to the top floor of the building where the west facing windows provided an image of the sun in its dying state and the river and city below. She was in some sort of area that must have been once used for office space. Now it was empty and devoid of humanity.

"Two hours, my dear," Dermot taunted as he locked her in the room, "Now I must make some preparations."

Two hours had never felt so long, so arduous, so painful to her. She was walled in and surrounded by her fear, but worse, she was surrounded by her head.

She thought of all the people in her life, all the people she still had and all of them that had left her and died. She wondered if she'd leave them all on good terms. Would they come to her funeral?

Sookie wondered if Jason could ever be like Dermot. She knew he was selfish, pig headed, arrogant and abrasive, but she didn't think he'd ever stoop to this. No, Jason, despite it all, was raised by Gran and while he was a sort of strange man child, he still had morals and he was still good to people. No matter what had come between them, she couldn't imagine Jason doing this to her or to anyone else.

She thought of Amelia and her guilt for Tray. She wondered if Amelia could ever forgive her, if she could find it in her heart to do so or if she'd leave her house. She wondered if maybe that was for the best. Sookie wouldn't have someone to remind her of the death she caused all the time, but she would miss Amelia's presence in her home, the fun and light she brought into it. She was a good friend but she couldn't make Amelia stay. Besides, she might be pregnant and Sookie Stackhouse should just not be around babies or many people for that matter. She was a danger magnet and it was horrible seeing the people she cared about suffering because of her.

The thing that rang loudest in Sookie's head was still Amelia's words that morning. No, he wasn't invincible and neither was she. The fact of the matter was that she nearly lost him that morning in the fire and she knew she wasn't capable of losing him. Not now and she'd never get the chance to tell him, to be with him. She had wasted her time and the time had slipped through her fingers. That much was clear now.

She was in deep, twice within less than two weeks, only this time, she felt certain she would die. Amelia was a deep sleeper. She wouldn't know she was gone until Eric did, when Eric woke up. Sookie wished she could be brave and courageous in this moment, but it just wasn't possible and she could find no comfort in the scent of Eric all around her in his hoodie she still wore. All it gave her was the greatest feeling of loss.

Staring up at the sky, she was torn between what she wanted, more time or for everything to just hurry up. She hated the sun in that moment.

It hurt more when she felt Eric awaken so far away, that tiny spark. She felt the tears take her then. _I'm sorry._ He was an hour away. He could not help her.

She supposed this was Dermot's idea of sadistic torture, to know that the one who would help her could not, to feel their helplessness, her helplessness, to know she would die before he could come to her.

The last hour was the worst, she spent the entire time struggling with the ties. All it got her were open wounds and sore wrists rubbed raw. Her ankles were not much better. Her back and abdomen were tired from the strain she used to break her bonds too. She couldn't even scream in frustration.

At long last, the sun began its final descent. The sky's last blue rays stood in start contrast against the dark and the burst of orange and lavender was spectacular. Sookie took shuddering gasps as she watched the molten light finally vanish into the ink black of the sky.

Dermot opened the door and stalked over to her, propping her up on her knees, before taking a seat on the window sill facing her with hard eyes, "It seems we have some technical difficulties. It would appear that Father has protected the portal with a little something extra. Now, don't worry, you'll still die this night but not until I get what I require to open the portal, kill you and send you through. Niall will know without a doubt his failure, his timing off by seconds with your fresh blood staining his perfectly manicured lawn."

Sookie glared at Dermot defiantly. He merely smiled.

"I'm perfectly sure your Vampire will stage some sort of rescue attempt for you, but he's exactly what I need for the portal. Well, his blood at least. It's rather poetic, isn't it? The blood of your lover will be exactly what I need to open the portal that will transport your body to your great-grandfather, my father."

With that, he stood from the window and walked past Sookie. Dermot opened the door and was about to leave her, when he paused and turned.

"You know…I feel generous. I'll let you see the Viking one last time and then as his blood covers the ground, yours will join his and you can be on Niall's lawn together, dead. It will be fitting, don't you think?"

He smirked at her and shut the door behind him.

* * *

As Eric waited anxiously for Pam, he had sucked down three True Bloods from the fridge, one for his injuries, the second for his hunger and the third for added strength.

He had tried not to probe the bond manically. It would only serve to distract him from the task at hand and he could not afford distractions. Not for this. No, it was too important.

Once Amelia had returned in her allotted time, Eric removed all the weapons concealed in his car, the various knives, swords, chains and sidearms and put them within easy to reach areas. He concealed several knives upon his person, in his pants, strapped to his belt, in his jacket and also his boots. The guns he kept in the car. They had their use, but lacked the finesse of the blade. The sword was an extension of his body, it was tradition.

The specific sword he had required Pam to retrieve was special, very old, nearly as old as he was and just as special. It had been with him for many centuries and served his life as vampire. The craftsmanship impeccable, using the best techniques from all over the world to forge the blade and its balance was true. The style of the blade was familiar to him, a great Viking broadsword. It suited his purposes tonight, to hunt and kill Dermot. Not only that, it had been spelled by a great witch. This had meant that the blade never dulled or rusted and it retained the perfection it had the day it was created and birthed for him, among other useful quirks.

Alcide had phoned him back and they had made arrangements for the date of negotiation and also hashed out some details on the repairs for Sookie's house. The conversation had been brisk and formal. The terms were fair and just, but Alcide knew he would have to take a personal interest in the matter, since Eric's emotional attachment might affect his fairness. He was sure the half fairy who abducted Sookie would meet his end tonight and he thought he might have heard anxiousness in the voice of the Sheriff. That boded well for Sookie, he decided. Alcide of course, knew of Eric and Sookie's official supernatural status as pledged but had ascertained that their personal relationship was defined in iffier terms currently. Eric had declined Alcide's promise of help. Not that Alcide was surprised. Sookie had been taken on their watch. Eric wanted the blood for himself. He was well aware and experienced in Eric's manoeuvrings. It had gotten him to escort Sookie to Jackson, Mississippi for one. Yes, he was sure, blood would be spilled by the Viking tonight.

Eric had met Amelia at the porch. She had tossed him the keys as soon as she exited the vehicle.

"Would you like to inspect her?" she teased.

"I'll send you my mechanic's bill on Monday," he returned sharply.

"Touché," she replied.

"Just be glad this isn't 'my baby' as Sookie likes to call it," Eric explained.

"So you've got an even sweeter ride at home all ensconced in bubble wrap?"

"Something like that," Eric replied, "Go into the house and do not leave for any reason until Indira arrives. Check all the windows and doors, especially their locks. Check your wards as well."

With that, Amelia left him to his duties and Eric moved the blood to the trunk of the Corvette. He slit the box of one of the cases and removed two bottles of blood. Then, he went into the kitchen and heated the blood for one minute in the microwave, before bringing the bottles outside with him, along with a few water bottles. He rested the True Blood on the hood of his car. The blood almost matched his Corvette in colour.

Now that all his provisions were made, Eric whipped on his leather jacket from where he had set it on the porch's bench. The wind chilled his dead flesh easier than before without his hoodie, but he relished the rare briskness of Louisiana. He could almost be reminded of his human home.

It had touched him that she was wearing his clothes. He could only hope that he would get the chance to see her in them…and alive.

Then, sitting on the hood of the Covette, he began his wait for Pam.

She arrived not twenty minutes after sunset in her charcoal grey Infiniti M sedan. She had wanted something speedier than her silvery light green Toyota, Eric approved.

Stepping out of the vehicle, Pam revealed that she had indeed been dressed to kill. Perhaps the most striking element of her outfit was the designer scarf she wore with a swirling pattern of navy, turquoise, burgundy, white and violet wrapped fully around her head and concealing the bottom of her face. Covering her eyes was a large pair of Dolce & Gabana sunglasses. Other than that, she had wore a cropped navy trench coat with ¾ length flared bell sleeves, a soft knitted burgundy turtle neck, opera length black leather gloves and black breeches with a pair of flat heeled black leather boots that went up to her knees.

Pam removed Eric's sword from the passenger seat before approaching Eric.

"I left the house as soon as you called," she explained, handing him the sword. Eric took it from her with a nod.

"I can see that," he said with a faint smirk regarding Pam's hidden face and hands. Pam simply harrumphed and removed her scarf before wrapping it around her neck and tucking it into her coat, revealing that her hair had been pulled into a neat French twist. She tucked her sunglasses into her large black vintage Chanel purse.

"Here's your blood. They should have cooled sufficiently by now. Try not to spill on the leather."

"Thank you."

"I take it you have armed?"

"Of course. I also know you have a few things stowed away in the car."

With that, the pair entered Eric's Corvette, with the blood in the cup holders and Eric's cell phone on top of the dash, and set off in a cloud of dust off the gravel drive of Hummingbird Road as Eric pressed with his lead foot. Yes, he would have to go to his mechanic on Monday.

The darkness stretched full against the sky with the thinnest sliver of the moon being visible to their vampire eyes. Dampness seeped on the road, the only light from those of his car. Rural roads lacked the lamps of their lighted urban counterparts. The flora arched into the sky, dark and foreboding, giving brief glimpses of the ink dark sky above. It was particularly dark tonight. Eric revelled in that. The dark was advantageous to him. It was his home, where he lived and conquered.

Eric kept his foot heavy on the accelerator all the way to the highway. He curled the car expertly upon the ramp, his entrance to the road. Upon leaving the ramp, he floored the gas, pushing past 200 kilometres per hour. Extending his spatial awareness, he expertly darted around the slower vehicles, passing them at a blur. Soon, the cars were giving him a wide berth.

Pam smirked at the expressions she caught on the drivers' faces as she sipped delicately on her True Blood for a moment, "I can't guarantee not to spill when you're driving like this," she teased.

Eric merely ignored her.

Pam took a long gulp of the blood. No use for pretence. "The mortals will undoubtedly call the policemen."

Eric smirked, "No mortal could see my licence plate. I doubt they could distinguish what car this is right now."

"Niall will not be pleased that he was not contacted," Pam said.

"I do not care for his discontent. I am owed Dermot's head. Niall is consolidating his power and indisposed. I will have his great granddaughter safe before he could possibly come."

Eric said this as he swerved right under a semi loaded with gasoline like something out of _The Fast and the Furious. _

"Now that's just showboating," Pam complained.

"It was going much too slowly."

Pam reached over to where her master's hand grasped the steering wheel tightly. She was quite certain his fingers would have been blanched had it not been for his vampiric pallor.

"We will do no good for her dead," she said slowly.

Eric's gaze swiped at her briefly. She removed her hand.

"You call me reckless?" he asked icily as he dodged a minivan and cut off a sedan.

"Yes," replied Pam firmly as she set down the empty bottle of blood she had finished.

Just as she was about to start her next blood, she heard his voice, just a whisper in the space of the car, difficult for even her ears to pick up.

"I can't fail her."

* * *

_No matter how hard you plan, sometimes a possibility escapes you or you're merely trapped with no place to move and no pieces to maneuver . It was the situation Eric found himself in one mid January night._

_He knew the moment she was ripped from this world, knew it was a place he could not follow._

_The bottle of blood in his hand had dropped from his hands, the glass shattering all over his office floor, creating a bloody mess._

_The phone call minutes after was a shock to his system. It must not have been more than two minutes, but it had felt like an eternity. An eternity in which pain set into every recess of his body. He felt like he could scarcely function. The words __**'She's gone,**' ripped through his head like a black hole. His hands were shaking. His body was shaking. He was even gasping. Fear like he had never known had taken him. He was helpless to it._

_**Why couldn't she just stay with me? **_

_She was taken and he could not save her. The portal to that world had been closed to him centuries before._

_The phone was ringing._

_"How?" he barked, hoping the despair did not betray his voice._

_"They attacked her on the back porch…" Bill started abruptly._

_"Yet you are still here, explain!" he hissed. Yes, anger, anger was something he could manage and control._

_"I could not take on two fairies and win," Bill said finally. He heard it in Bill's voice, failure and remorse._

_Eric rubbed his eyes, staring blankly at the red he found on his finger tips, "Wait there. I will join you shortly." He hung up._

_His child was on the floor of the bar, he called her to him. He had no time to spare on the floor. She was in his office instantly._

_He looked at her pointedly, "Prepare the provisions for fairies."_

_She took in his face, the mess and understood. She nodded stiffly, "Yes, master."_

_He pulled out his cell phone and dialled a secret number. The moment he heard the line pick up, he bellowed, "Tell Niall if he wishes his great granddaughter to live, he will contact me immediately!" Then, he hung up._

_He reached under his desk and pulled out a sword, a katana. Then he armed himself with a few other hidden knives in his office. He hid them on his person. Eric knew Niall could find him wherever he was._

_He would go to Bon Temps with Pam, meet up with Bill and wait for Niall. He would bring them over through the portal. The magic Niall would have to use would be troublesome for the price's standing, but it wasn't something Eric was concerned about. The fairy owed him._

_Just as his hand was about to open the door to his office, his child burst forth through it and pushed him back._

_"The king requires audience with you. He has informed Clancy he will be here within the hour," she said._

_"Fuck," he cursed._

_Felipe had gone to Louisiana to meet with his lieutenant Victor for the first time in the new year. Eric knew Victor would inform Felipe of his and Sookie's pledge. This was possibly the worst time for a meeting with the king._

_The phone on his desk rang, Pam picked it up. She knew he could hear the conversation, but his mind was elsewhere, planning._

_"Niall will come to you in an hour and a half. They are attempting to hold the palace," she informed._

_"So I must wait," Eric ground out._

_"You must wait," Pam confirmed with worry in her eyes._

_The one thousand years of patience he had garnered in his time was no use for this. His anxiousness made him restless. Pam waited with him. He was certain it was for no other purpose than to make sure he didn't do anything reckless. She had removed the blood stain herself. Some vinegar, club soda and a few carpet cleaners later it was good as new. She cleaned the entire office by wiping vinegar everywhere to make the former blood stain cleaning less obvious. She even used incense to dampen the scent of the vinegar._

_Everything in his posture, his body, urged him to be elsewhere, anywhere but here. His legs itched to run to her. His arms longed to fight for her. Yet, he was here, waiting, doing nothing._

_Not fifteen minutes into waiting, pain lanced through the bond. Eric snarled. He was about to connect his hand with his desk when Pam's hand grabbed his fist._

_She looked him in the eyes, determined, defiant, "No," she said firmly._

_Eric hissed at her and her hand dropped._

_"They're torturing her," he whispered, "They're torturing her."_

_Pam's face betrayed sorrow._

_His muscles tensed. He could feel it, every cut, every scrape. It was driving him insane to stay here. He walked from his desk pacing the carpet in front of the door._

_His failure was complete._

_Pam got him to drink a blood before the king arrived, hoping it would help him calm down. His emotional bursting would do them no good._

_"Relax," Pam advised before she left his office to escort the king in. Eric merely glared._

_The moment she left Eric collected himself. He pushed back the call of the bond, her anguish. He pushed back his loathing of himself._

_The moment the door opened with a flourish, his mask was in place._

_Pam stood to the side while Felipe entered with Victor at his side. Victor was in one of his usual custom suits. This time it was a navy pin stripe with a crisp white shirt and a shiny red silk tie. Felipe once again stood out in his flowing shirt, leather breeches, long leather boots, an intricately embellished red silk vest, matched with a long red velvet jacket with gold buttons bearing his crest and his signature black cape. A jewelled rapier with an elaborate hilt was at his side attached by a fine leather belt._

_Eric stood and bowed at the head, "My king." Pam did the same._

_Felipe acknowledged them with a brief nod before taking a seat in front of Eric's desk. Eric sat down at his desk and Victor followed in suit with a large silver coloured briefcase at his side. Pam stood by Eric's side._

_Felipe took in the katana leaning behind the desk, "A most beautiful blade. I believe I've caught you in a hurry to leave," he said with a smirk, "May I?"_

_"Of course," Eric said. He signalled Pam with his eyes who set the blade in Felipe's outstretched hands._

_"A fine specimen. Excellent craftsmanship. Folded steel," Felipe said taking in the blade as he ran his finger over its sharpness and gazed upon the intricately leather wrapped red and black hilt, "Your taste is impeccable."_

_"It was a gift," Eric corrected._

_Pam watched the exchange with calculating eyes, well aware of the loaded exchange. Victor was amused._

_"You have an impeccable taste in friends then," Felipe amended._

_"Thank you," Eric replied._

_Felipe put the katana down on the desk between them, as if drawing a line._

_"Let's get down to business. I do believe you are missing a telepath this evening," Felipe announced._

_"I am," Eric replied with a closed face._

_"The fairy activity in your area and Louisiana has been interesting as of late. Victor here," he gestured to the smug lieutenant, "was able to catch one such fairy this evening that regaled to us the most interesting information."_

_"It would seem Ms. Stackhouse is descended from Niall Brigant and has been abducted by his enemies," Felipe said, "Now I must commend your taste in having such a useful, in more ways than one, bargaining chip. No doubt Brigant knows about this and is launching a search of his own. I am aware of many things Eric and I am willing to extend the full range of my resources to locate and retrieve her."_

_Eric smiled humourlessly, "You have a price."_

_"Yes. Miss Stackhouse is a bargaining chip and a useful tool or a nuisance with the fairies involved. I have two choices for you. You may save your telepath, with all the resources I offer you, but should you do so, you must give her to me and turn her over to the custody of the Kingdom of Nevada. She would still be your pledged and bonded, of course. I respect vampire tradition and law. Your second choice is this, you cannot go to rescue her, but you may keep her in your fief. What is your choice?"_

_Eric's eyes narrowed, "She is mine."_

_"Is that your choice?" Felipe inquired._

_Eric nodded stiffly, "Yes."_

_"Very well, Northman. Your disobedience to your king has been noted and I must make sure your word is kept and punishment is forwarded," Felipe replied with a smile._

_He gestured to Victor who brought the briefcase onto the desk. Standing, Victor opened the briefcase and revealed a fairly large vial wrapped tightly in tin foil. Eric glanced briefly at Pam and caught the look of shock pass her face. It was the first time in maybe one hundred years he had seen that look._

_Victor then proceeded to remove the tin foil, "We can't have it oxidize with the light, after all," he explained._

_Once completed a single white label with a dashed border was revealed. AgNO3__. Silver nitrate. One litre of a fairly high concentration of the substance in question, in fact._

_Felipe pushed the glass bottle towards Eric, "Drink."_

_"How obedient are you, Sheriff?" questioned Felipe._

_Eric glanced at the king briefly before reaching for the glass and removing the stopper from the lip._

_"I obey you, my king," he answered as he brought the glassware to his lips and drank the silver nitrate._

_Pam watched in horror._

_Felipe watched him closely until Eric had drank about three quarters of the liquid._

_"I think that's good, don't you Victor?" Felipe said at last._

_"Yes," Victor agreed, "You may stop drinking Sheriff."_

_"You have obedience in you yet, Sheriff," Felipe said smiling, "Should you survive this, your position will still be secure."_

_Victor took out a pair of leather gloves and sealed the vial of silver nitrate, repackaging it into his briefcase, encased in tin foil._

_"See you soon, Sheriff," Felipe said._

_Regarding Eric with a nod, he stood. He gazed upon the katana for a moment, running his hand along the blade, "May I?"_

_"Of course," Eric gasped out._

_Felipe smiled and took the blade with him on the way out with Victor following behind. The pair left via the employee exit._

_Eric collapsed coughing and wheezing in pain on his desk. He was glad Felipe and Victor could not hear his pain though the soundproofed walls. He would not give them that pleasure._

_"Master!" Pam cried out, distraught._

_Eric could not respond, his body began to spasm in pain and he fell to the floor from his chair. He howled in pain and writhed. His muscles ached and strained. His pain was not only physical, but mental and emotional. Felipe had officially indisposed him. He roared in anger._

_He was surprised when a white wrist was pressed to his mouth._

_His eyesight was blurry from the pain as he drew his eyes to her concerned face. She was bent over him, her other hand was stroking his back, it was oddly soothing, like a mother to a child._

_"Drink," she said resolutely._

_"You will be severely weakened. The silver nitrate will affect you too," he said slowly, instantly knowing her plans._

_She shook her head roughly. The dangling earrings on her ears rustled and chimed._

_"For your pain, Eric," she whispered._

_She was a good child._

_Eric bit her wrist and sucked. He wasn't sure how long he had done so._

_The next thing he knew, Pam had returned with some cases of True Blood, a bucket and the long clear plastic tubing that the kitchen staff used to siphon sauces from their industrial sized containers. She quickly bustled to his bookshelf, sliding it to the right to reveal a large safe. Entering the code quickly, the safe popped open and hissed, revealing that it was refrigerated and the banked blood propped up and hung up on hooks inside in organized sections by date of storage. She pulled out the freshest bags of blood and once again concealed the safe._

_Eric's pain had decreased somewhat, but his body still throbbed intensely. He was vaguely aware that he had been moved to the couch. He noticed Pam appeared slightly blanched. She took out a True Blood and gulped it down quickly, before opening another and doing the same._

_She grabbed one of the wood framed, leather upholstered chairs from his desk and moved it to his bedside. Sitting in it, she grabbed his wrist. Using the strength he had left, he stopped her from moving it. She looked at him balefully and sighed._

_"I know the consequences of what I am about to do and I do this for you freely," Pam said._

_"We who owe you fealty freely guard you now," she continued, gesturing to the door. Eric could only imagine she had set Indira and Maxwell to guard._

_Only then did Eric consent._

_She took his wrist, brought it to her mouth, bit down and began to drain him. Eric heard her nearly gag on his poisoned blood, but she continued without pause. The silver nitrate would affect Pam, but to a lesser extent than he. Draining by another vampire, or at least partial draining was the only way to save a vampire from silver nitrate poisoning. Vampires could drain a body quicker than most other methods and the healing properties in their saliva as well as the magic in a vampire sacrificing their strength for one of their brethren helped their process along._

_Eric cursed Felipe. He knew that Pam would do this. He wished to incapacitate his number two as well._

_When Pam released her grip on his wrist, she stood up looking dizzy, especially pale. She quickly gulped down another True Blood, but her unnatural pallor, even for a vampire, remained._

_Instead of pain, all Eric felt now was weakness, helplessness. He knew he wasn't done yet. He knew his weakness would only intensify shortly._

_Sure enough, Pam retrieved a knife from his desk and returned to his side. She swiftly cut his wrist though the vein and inserted the tubing, she let the tube fall into the bucket and Eric watched as his blood drained into the bucket. The thick red blood now had a metallic pearlescent shine to it. He watched it, morbidly fascinated by the blood leaving his body._

_Pam then opened the bag of blood and held it up to Eric to help him feed. The process continued a long while with Pam sipping a True Blood now and then. She supplemented the banked blood with True Blood as well. Eventually, Thalia escorted in a tall, strong, sober andhealthy male, recently glamoured upon his entry to the bar, for Eric to feed upon. No doubt she had tested his blood to find it free of any chemicals that would hinder Eric's healing process. When he had taken enough, she took him back to the floor of the bar._

_He was on his fourth pint of banked blood and second True Blood when a pop sounded and Niall appeared before them. He wore fairy armour that glinted in the light of the office and spoke of thousands of years of history in its craftsmanship and design._

_He took in the scene before him and signed, rubbing his temple in a strangely human gesture._

_"Tell me what has happened," he demanded mildly._

_Pam told him of Sookie and the exchange with Felipe and Victor, while feeding Eric more blood. Niall's face could not contain his shock when Pam told him of the choice Eric had made._

_When Pam finished informing him, Niall nodded his head, thoughtfully, "Very well, Viking, I owe you the healing for protecting my great granddaughter as you have." He reached into the recesses of his armour and pulled out a cell phone. Dialling a number, he barked quickly into it before hanging up abruptly. About a minute later there was a pop at about his face level and a vial of bright red liquid dropped into his hand._

_"The most sacred of all our healing concoctions. It contains our very blood," he said to both Eric and Pam as he handed it to her. Pam eyed Niall and the vial suspiciously, but Eric nodded his consent to her._

_As Pam fed him the concoction, Eric felt his strength return to him like a wave. He was no where close to one hundred percent, but the difference was incredible. Draining a vampire took months, maybe even a year for the vampire to recover. Niall's concoction did for him what months would normally do for healing._

_"Where is this Bill Compton?" Niall inquired once Eric was well enough to sit._

_"Sookie's house, waiting for us. I will go with you," Eric said determinedly._

_"No," Niall replied sternly._

_"She is my wife," Eric growled, baring his teeth at Niall._

_"You are useless to her right now," Niall continued, growing annoyed._

_"You wish me to hold your portal with your followers while you and Compton find her," he spat, guessing Niall's intentions._

_"Yes. I require this task of you for her. I trust you with this duty, Bloodslayer."_

_"You care so little for her life. You would rather hold your position than pull an exile through," Eric accused._

_"For the sake of all that is good! You know you cannot!" Niall exploded._

_"Your skill, ingenuity and know how will be better placed with my Royal guard. Direct them, lead them. You know the terrain of Shreveport where the portal lies. We need you there," Niall pressed._

_Eric did not move from where he was sitting. Pam watched him worriedly._

_"I will bring her back, I give you my word," Niall promised._

_Then, he removed a silk handkerchief from his armour, with the crest of the House of Brigant, handing it to Eric. "Present this to my commander when you reach the portal's location. He will remember you," Niall instructed and then gave Eric the location of the portal._

_"You will know when she has returned," Niall said._

_He then popped out of Eric's office._

_Eric let out a roar. He threw his half empty True Blood at the door. It shattered and the blood once again stained his door and carpet. Pam rolled her eyes, handing him another, while sucking one down herself._

_This was how Eric found himself in the forest a mile from Shreveport directing fairy troops. It was almost surreal. The commander was one he did know, Rowan. He had conceded to his partial leadership once Eric had convinced him of his usefulness. Pam had watched their heated exchange with a smile on her face. The other fairies had watched him and Pam drink True Blood with distaste. He merely glared at them. Pam made suggestive gestures with the bottle to taunt the fairies._

_He had been glad for the brief action he got. Every kill in his weakened state invigorated him and draining the fairy he had killed had been nice to say the least. He let every stroke of his blade be the answer to his fury for every cut he felt on Sookie's body. The Viking was a formidable fighter even in his condition._

_The numbers that pushed through the portal were overwhelming. Breandan's followers soon split off in their attack. One group held position, while another flanked to escape the battle at the portal and track down Niall._

_The battle had been raging for two hours when he finally felt her presence in the world again. Yet, she was so weary and frail. Relief had coursed through his body immediately. Relief, guilt and fear._

_Would she ever be his now?_

* * *

Sookie felt him the moment he started coming for her. Fear, pain and sorrow ripped through her body, her heart, her mind. She was torn. He was the one person above all else she wanted to get her out of this, but he was also the one person whose demise Demot was actively searching for. She would lead him straight to his doom.

"Fuck," she cursed under her breath, struggling with her binds once more. It came out more as, "Foug," thanks to the tape. Her wrists were so raw and the blood flow so constricted that her hands were white and numb.

Dermot was in the other room preparing God knows what to trap and kill Eric.

Her body was shaking in frustration. She had to get out. She had to leave this place. Now. Her eyes swished around the room searching for anything, anything she had missed since she'd been in the room two hours before. There had to be something she thought as she scanned desperately. Anything, anything at all.

Just as she was about to give up, she noticed that one of the metal air vents which lay under the window sill had a small piece that had come unscrewed and flapped outward slightly. It wasn't much, but it was something.

She was still on her knees and the grate was almost across the room. Slowly, Sookie tried inching forward on her knees, but it was ineffective and only caused the bonds on her hands to tighten painfully. She winced.

She could feel Eric getting closer all the time. Time was running out.

Slumping down, she watched a dust bunny careen around the floor and the room, cursing it in frustration. She envied its free rolling movements.

Sookie smiled, or as much as she could under the tape. An epiphany had hit her. She dropped to her side, grabbed her ankles and rolled towards the grate. The process irritated her raw wrists, but she ignored it. It took at lot of energy to position herself upright and correctly to use the grate to shear the ropes and more than a few tries.

Sookie first started on the knots at her wrists. She caught her skin several times and she felt some blood slick on her hands, but it was unavoidable, painful as it was. She was just glad she had her tetanus shot updated last year.

Minutes later, her wrists were finally free from the ropes, but bloody. She ripped the duct tape from her face, gasping in pain and disliking the tacky feeling it left. Knowing she didn't have much time, Sookie repeated the process of using the grate to free her feet, using the full mobility of her hands. Her hands were starting to get some colour back.

Finally free of the knots, she took wobbly steps on her feet. She braced herself on the glass of the windows. Her feet were weak from being deprived of blood and being bound up for so long. Great. She felt like she had the numbest feet on the planet.

Staring out through the windows, Sookie began to plot her escape. She took in the fire escape that wrapped around the corner of the brick building. Quickly, quietly, she went to the door and pushed hard, only to be met with resistance. It didn't budge.

"Dammit!" she whispered, then took in the sign. Well shit. She definitely did not want the fire alarm to go off, thank you.

She took in the window adjacent to the door, it looked like it would open. Quickly, she snapped back the locks, ignoring the blood that was quickly smearing the glass and used the twirling mechanism to open the window as far as it would go. It was one of those windows which flipped up from the bottom with a screen to keep the bugs out in summer. Now however, she was met with the brisk air of January. Swiftly, she pulled out the stoppers on the old, slightly rusty screen and pulled the contraption in. Setting the screen down, she then pushed the glass free of the metal strips that winched it open.

Peeking out over the window, she now saw she'd have to pull a Jason Bourne a la Swiss embassy to reach the fire escape. There was only a narrow ledge. Damn. This was going to be great with her feet the way they were.

Sookie took a firm grip on the frame of the window before placing one leg through the window and planting her foot on the ledge, testing it. Seeing that it held her weight, she swung her other leg onto it and then readjusted her arms. Using the brick as grips for her hands, she slowly inched her way towards the fire escape. She hoped it was still functioning and wouldn't collapse the moment she set foot on it. She couldn't look down. It was a two story drop.

At last, reaching the fire escape, she tested its strength with her arm. Feeling somewhat secure, she climbed through the black railings and relaxed slightly. Now to make it down the thing without alerting Dermot. She was glad she had her booties that Pam had got her. They were useful for sneaking.

Sookie paid special attention to her surroundings, but luckily, it was clear. When at last she made it to the alley floor, she breathed a sigh of relief. The asphalt was dirty and damp, but she paid no mind as she ducked down into the darkness and snuck down the alley. With luck, she would be able to stop Eric before he was drawn into Demot's trap.

When she reached the end of the alley and took in the street, she laughed. There, tucked in an alley between an all night taco hut and a dry cleaners' was the batmobile.

Sookie had never been more happy to see that Corvette, that flashy, boisterous thing with the chrome rims, dark windows, expensive quality tires and the shiny pearled blood red paint job with the black section on the hood. The black section made all the difference to the look of the car, Sookie thought. Yes, it was Eric's batmobile. And who should be sitting on the hood looking bored but Pam?

She looked to be in downtime, but her head snapped to attention when she seemed to catch a whiff of her scent. She smiled and stood up as Sookie hurriedly crossed the street to meet her.

"I've never been more happy to see you, Pam!" Sookie exclaimed as Pam took in her appearance.

Pam's hands darted out and clutched Sookie's wrists, "Allow me," she said and then she lapped up the blood, cleaning her wounds and healing them. Pam even went so far as to prick fingers with her fangs and rub blood over her injuries.

"There," Pam said as she finished, handing Sookie a bottle of water from her purse. Sookie took it gratefully and drank long and hard.

Finally, Sookie asked, "Where's Eric?"

Pam smiled, fangs out, dangerous, "Killing Dermot."

"Dammit!" Sookie cursed, as she turned her heel, about to run into the warehouse. However, Pam's death grip on her arm stopped her.

"Pam. Let go," Sookie ground out.

"No," Pam said firmly, "Now sit down and stop worrying. You'll get greys. Besides, Eric is an excellent fighter and Dermot is no full fairy. He'll be fine." Then she pouted.

"You wanted in on the action?"

"Yes, but once Eric sensed you were escaping the building, he required me to make sure you wouldn't do anything so…well, you. Dermot was going to die all along anyway," Pam explained.

Sookie screamed in frustration, damned vampires!

* * *

When he finally made it into Monroe, Eric let the bond guide him to where Sookie was located. He surrendered himself to the pull of her blood, letting everything else recede to the background. He drove on autopilot.

Pam watched him intently as he tracked Sookie with the blood he'd taken from her. She had seen vampires track the humans they had drank from, but never a vampire track a blood bonded human. The connection was so much purer. She imagined a vampire relied more on the feeling of the human's blood in their body than a combination of blood, scent and tracking skills.

It was relatively easy finding the correct building where Sookie was being held. Eric's speed driving the Corvette slowed little once they had entered the city. Pam could hear the blood in the truck slide from side to side as Eric took the turns sharply. She had advised him against breaking the blood in the truck. He had merely snorted. What were the bottles of True Blood if not designed for vampire driving?

Eric had circled the block once to confirm the location and scope it out, but it appeared relatively safe. Parking the car in an alley way across the brick warehouse, Eric then exited the vehicle with Pam and was hit with the scent of magic.

He noted the recognition of the scent on Pam's face as well.

"He's building a portal," Pam said, she remembered the smell from the battle the night Sookie was abducted by Neave and Lochlan.

"Yes," Eric replied, "It doesn't seem open yet though…it appears Dermot ran into some trouble. He underestimated Niall's cunning."

Retrieving his blade, Eric sat on the hood of his Corvette and concentrated. He smirked.

"Pam, wait for my bonded," Eric commanded.

"What?" Pam asked with a pout.

"She's scaling the wall right now, I will divert Dermot's attentions," he continued, "Under no circumstances is she to re-enter the premises."

Pam sighed, "Yes, master."

Eric patted her shoulder and smiled, the thrill of bloodlust in his bones, "Next time, I promise."

Pam just rolled her eyes as Eric stalked off to take care of Dermot.

Eric cleared his thoughts and allowed his emotion to take over. He channelled the barely suppressed rage that had been built up over an hour and let it course through his body unhindered and uncaged. A low growl emitted from his mouth, his body piqued, ready to attack.

Letting his senses guide him, he zeroed in on Dermot's exact location as well as scanning the building for traps. He was expected after all.

There was really only one approach Eric wanted to take in this case and it was the direct one. He wanted blood, he wanted confrontation and he wanted violence.

Upon reaching the door, he kicked it open. The lock exploded from the wood and the epicentre of the force was evident by the splintered wood and chipped paint. Eric used his vampire speed to cross the threshold and hasten to the other end of the warehouse.

"SHOW YOURSELF, COWARD!" he cried to the pillars and trusses of the building.

Eric's ears pricked. A faint whistling in the air, alerted him to a soaring knife.

Swiftly, Eric dodged the knife's intended location and deflected it with his sword. The throwing knife skittered noisily on the dusty floor. He recognized the glinting of the blade, silver. His eyes narrowed.

"You disappoint me, Dermot!" Eric called to where the knife was thrown.

Eric drew his sword, ran to his right and then leapt into the air, landing gracefully on the second floor of the warehouse.

Another knife darted into his periphery, this time attached to an arm.

Deftly, Eric grabbed the arm and using his opponent's momentum against him, tossed his assailant across the room.

"Why there you are, Dermot!" Eric taunted with a snarl.

Dermot growled and jumped to his feet. His face twisted into anger and rage. Tossing his second blade at Eric's face, Dermot used the distraction to draw his own sword, silver plated, and sprint head on into Eric.

Eric drew his own knife, iron, from his belt and hurled it at Dermot's hands, before easily stepping aside from the trajectory of Dermot's blade which missed his face by mere inches.

Eric's knife had been enough distraction, as Dermot could not change his course due to his speed. Dermot's hand had suffered a vicious scratch. His howl of pain echoed in the warehouse. Eric advanced on him and landed a hard kick to Dermot's stomach.

As Dermot was going down, he took a quick swipe at Eric with his sword. Eric used his own blade to block and Dermot took the chance to roll out of harm's way and get back on his feet.

"I will get you yet, Viking!" Dermot hollered.

"We shall see, won't we?" Eric threw back, "As it stands, you have yet to leave your mark on me and I have one on you."

"We shall see about that, Vampire," Dermot spat as he circled Eric with his blade drawn.

"We shall, you owe me your head for my wife," Eric hissed as he ran towards Dermot.

Eric aimed for Dermot's head with his sword. Direct. He didn't want to play games. He wanted to collect Dermot's head. Dermot blocked the blow. Eric faked a blow to Dermot's knees, causing the half fairy to attempt to parry the move. Eric used this mistake to his advantage to swing at Dermot's neck, but he ducked out of his sword's path just in time in a tight back flip.

Eric moved in a tight circle to counteract the force of his blow and swung low to try and catch Dermot's knees as he came back around, unsuccessfully.

Dermot pushed up with his knees and directed his sword towards Eric's own neck using the force of his momentum. Eric spun out of the way and drew a long knife from his boot, as he took a long stride. He plunged the knife into Dermot's back and dragged the blade through Dermot's body.

Dermot screamed in pain.

"Never bare your back to me," Eric growled lowly.

Dermot attempted to crawl and write away from Eric, all the while keeping his enemy in eyesight, clutching his sword tightly, desperately.

"Where do you run, half fairy?" Eric said venomously.

Stalking leisurely towards Dermot, Eric gripped his sword with both hands and swung onto Dermot's blade. He blocked it once, but Eric's second blow caused the blade to clatter away from his hands. Eric kicked the thing over the second floor railings.

Dermot reached for a dagger at his waist, but Eric swiped his sword quickly at Dermot and removed his hand. Dermot cried out once again.

"Looks like I've got you," Eric said and quickly brought his blade down on Dermot's neck, severing it. The head rolled through the railings and fell to the first floor with a resounding splattering sound.

Eric paid it no mind. Using the shirt from Dermot's decapitated body, Eric ran his blade over it to clean it of blood. He couldn't have the blade oxidize after all. Even though it was spelled, he still took good care of it. It was the only way to deserve a sword as fine as his.

Eric sheathed his blade and retrieved his knives, the one embedded in Dermot's back and the one on the floor, cleaning both. Then, he leapt over the railing back onto the first floor. Pulling out his cell phone, Eric dialled Niall's number as he strolled to the exit.

When the phone picked up, he said "I have taken care of Dermot. It was within my rights for he abducted my wife. His body is at your portal in Monroe. Have a nice night," and hung up.

Pocketing the phone, Eric started humming a tune that sounded strangely like "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over" by Lenny Kravitz.

Pushing open the broken door, Eric smiled as he took in his Corvette with both Sookie and Pam seated on the hood. She was wearing his hoodie.

He was on the road, walking across it, when she noticed him. She shot him an irritated look, which only caused him to smile wider. Pam watched their exchange with a raised eyebrow.

Sookie rolled her eyes, but nonetheless stood up from the Corvette and walked towards him. Meeting him halfway on the street, she pulled him into a tight embrace, wrapping her arms inside his jacket and burying her head into his chest. Eric returned it with equal ferocity and kissed the top of her head, taking in her scent from her golden hair. His jacket enveloped the both of them. She was safe. She was whole.

"I can't lose you," she whispered softly.

Eric drew her back slightly, wanting to see her face. He ran his fingers over her cheek, "You won't."

Sookie arched an eyebrow, "I don't suppose you're fireproof."

Eric smirked, "Well, not me, but my "hidey hole" is. I do appreciate the sentiment though and the blanket and pillow were very sweet of you."

Sookie's look of shock caused Eric to laugh slightly, "I told you when I was building it. You were too busy checking out my butt, weren't you?"

When the blush spread over her face, Eric kissed her nose, "I'm onto you, my little vixen."

Then, seriously, gazing into her eyes, "You are very brave and so strong…I am lucky to know you. I'm glad to see your sense of self preservation has improved somewhat," he finished teasingly.

"That's me," Pam shouted in return from the car.

"Oh. Well, never mind then," Eric said smiling. Sookie laughed.

"Dermot is dead?" she asked. It wasn't so much of a question as it was fact.

"Yes," Eric confirmed.

She nodded, then said to him wrinkling her nose, "You need a bath and your clothes need to be washed."

"Did I get blood in my hair?"

"No, that's fine. How'd you manage that?"

"Luck, I suppose, but the question remains. Will you wash my dirty body for me?" he propositioned, waggling his eyebrows.

"We'll see," she replied with a smile.

She was releasing him from her grasp, but Eric pulled her closer. Using his hand to brush the hair from her face, Eric kissed her hungrily, needing to taste her desperately. His tongue met hers wantonly and they battled for dominance. Sookie returned his passion and slid her hands up across his chest to rest against his neck. Meanwhile, Eric stroked her back and continued his assault on her mouth, barely letting her take a breath.

"You know, I'd like to go home sometime soon," Pam called.

Letting her go slowly, with a lingering kiss to her mouth, Eric directed the both of them towards the car, enjoying the breathless look on her face. When Sookie lightly took hold of his pinkie with three fingers, he couldn't help but smile and secure her hand in his.

Once they reached Pam, Eric faced Sookie and said, "You're staying with me in Shreveport."

Sookie looked at him for a moment, taking in the look in his eyes and sighed, "Okay." She knew he wanted her close. Plus, she wasn't exactly excited to get back to the place she'd been abducted twice within two weeks. Eric looked relieved at her decision and not having to press the issue further. She had to admit she wanted to be close to him tonight too.

"Pam, take Dermot's car back. We don't want people suspicious of it in the morning. Take care of any security cameras too. Niall will take care of Dermot's body," Eric instructed.

"Clean up. Great," Pam snarked, "The model of this car by any chance?"

"Ford Taurus," Sookie replied.

"You can take the night off," Eric called after her as she went towards the warehouse. Pam merely made a 'whatever' gesture with her hand and continued walking.

Eric went and opened the passenger side door for her. He waited until she was settled in her seat before closing the door and stowing his sword. Then he entered the car and started up the engine.

Locking the doors, he turned towards Sookie and smirked, "I believe you owe me a talk."

Sookie buckled up her seatbelt and sighed. _Great. _

* * *

Okay, first off, I gotta pimp by site again, bloodbonds(dot)wordpress(dot)com. I did a funny little article on Eric's hair on True Blood and you can find it on the Blog's main page under Eric's Hair Evolution. You can also find it under Articles on the Blogroll. Right now, I have a recap on the season premiere up as well. That's on the main page.

For Dermot's rant, I kinda channelled Ben "What about me?" Linus and Michael Emerson from Lost. I thought this chapter would be 30 pages long, silly me, it's close to 40…I was getting really tired of this…but then when I was writing the fight scene…I was like…wow, I've forgotten how FUN they are to write. I could have extended it a bit, but I just wanted to finish this bitch lol. I was thinking of breaking the chapter in half…but it felt better to leave it as is.

In mythology, an Amaranth is a flower that never fades, it's immortal. Yes, I've created a mythology to this fic, but it's really what enriches the characters and their motivations, rather than what drives the plot, so don't worry. Does the past matter? Yes, but it's more about what the characters do now because of what happened. I'm all about the characters and their internal struggles and triumphs. So no worries.

The conversation between Eric and Felipe regarding the katana is…loaded and I started writing it and was like…wow, that's loaded. Lol.

A note on the Corvette, Ericcanbiteme/Sawyersmine and I were chatting together and we were looking at Corvettes, trying to determine which one it was that Eric drove specifically. I looked at the 2004 model…and something about it was just NOT pleasing to my eye…I looked at the 2006 models and the same thing…Just not into it. And also the red ones…it was like meh. So then I looked at the 09 and the 08. I saw the 08 and was like BATMOBILE! It's the one! It was the profile of the 09 lol. Plus, it's definitely a coup because I hate the way hardtops interrupt the look of the car. It's just not pleasing to the eye. We were looking on google and found a red one with a black part in the middle of the hood on the centre and it really does make all the difference. There it is. It's an 08…

cache(dot)jalopnik(dot)com/assets/resources/2008/02/2008_Corvette_427_Limited_Edition_Z06(dot)jpg

Picture that but a bloodier shade of red. This will be the only time I link you to an image btw…I really prefer just allowing you guys to use your imagination and see what you see from how I describe things.

Next chapter is going to be named after a Jerry Cantrell song, "Give It A Name" and it will be about reaching THE Understanding. Lol. You guys will be happy that I already wrote about 700 words of the chapter about 3 weeks ago. It's a scene really…that's more about inserting it in the right spot. The next chapter feels right, especially with the title. I do have a final on Monday…but I hope to be getting out the next chapter soon and I'll be working on the next True Blood recap as the caps surface. Doing the first one and the time it took made me realize that I really have to break up my time better lol.

I hope you enjoyed Eric in 'I'm going to fuck shit up' mode. How have you guys been enjoying True Blood? I've been loving it! SOOO much better than Season One and more E!

I always love to hear any and all feedback.

~simba_317


	4. Chapter Three: Give It a Name

**Disclaimer:** If I could have enough money to own the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I would get Pam to do my hair.

**Author's Notes:** Once again, thank you so much for the reviews! I really appreciate them and they're like effing crack! Lol.

As I have promised, THE Talk shall be in this chapter.

A lot of you have commented on how distasteful you all find Felipe and it's funny because it certainly isn't my prerogative to make him a hardcore villain…at least not yet. I just think he outplayed Eric and counted on several things that would happen that would save Sookie regardless of Eric's incapacitation. Of course, he's very vampires first and doesn't give a shit about Sookie's wellbeing…It's really amusing to me because I don't hate Felipe. The only villain I've ever created with purpose to make people hate immediately is probably Mr. Sinister in my A Mutated Existence and Underground Resistance X.

And a note on the title, "Give It A Name" is a song by Jerry Cantrell, he's the guitarist from Alice and Chains and the song is on his second solo album, Degradation Trip Volumes 1 & 2. It's my favourite album. If I were an album, I'd be that album. Intensely emotional stuff and it definitely takes you on a journey. You have to be in the right mood to listen to the whole thing. I think Jerry Cantrell is crazy talented, I call him a talent trifecta, the man can play guitar, sing and write songs, all with amazing ability. One of the most hilarious things I've seen was Jerry doing "Brother" with Tom Morello. Jerry sings while playing lead guitar, does a guitar solo and even sings a capella while Tom just does rhythm. It's awesome. I love Alice in Chains too and I am just totally psyched for September 29th when their new album drops. Anyway, "Give It A Name" is about letting go of your fears. I love this line "Separating self from dream, harsh reality/And though it hurts, embrace the truth and from fear be set free". It's a really interesting song and it sort of has that feeling of Jerry's Oklahoma roots from his dad's side. And I can't find it on youtube…I prolly shouldn't tell you all this, but looking for me got me distracted with Jerry and Slash doing "Wish You Were Here"…it's like two of my guitar gods together…soo lol.

**2009/07/29: **I've added a bit more to this chapter to flush it out a big more...when I writing it and editing it on the 6th, I always felt it was missing some oomph. I wanted to get this chapter out before my vacation...but I had also written this story at a time when I think I wasn't as immersed in the feeling of the fic. So I've added more embellishment and played up Sookie and Eric's emotions more, gave a few more side notes, that sort of thing. I always felt that this chapter lacked a bit of emotion. About 1000 words were added. I feel MUCH better about this chapter now and I think it's more up to par.

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE: GIVE IT A NAME**

"_As you requested, my queen," said Mr. Cataliades. He placed the bundle on her desk with reverence. _

"_Thank you, Mr. Cataliades. You may go now." _

_She sensed it, in her heart she knew. Her time was up. Her long life, over one thousand years old had come to an end. She had stood against the tide of time, invincible to its crashing waves. She could stand no more. _

_Her time had come, but it didn't mean she couldn't win this last victory. Oh she would die, but her power would outlive her. That was all that mattered. _

_She glanced around her office, so many memories here. Good ones, bad. The place of death, of pleasure. Maybe this was her last glance. _

_She pulled out the documents, their official colours giving courage to her heart, her weak body strength, once more. She removed the quill from her official ink well. Some things, vampires knew, were better done the antiquated way. In her flowing script, learned some hundred or so years after she was turned, she wrote elegantly. The pen had never been more mighty than the sword than in this moment. The thought surged her forward. _

_Her only regret, she so wanted to see his face when he saw this…_

_Only one last passage and then she would be done and her time would be up. How fitting, she thought, as she pierced the tip of the quill through the skin on her arm, filling the shaft with her own blood. _

_Completed, she sighed. She was moments away. It was the end. _

_She folded the document and grabbed a red candle sitting upon an ornate gold holder. Red wax pooled and brimmed at the top, hot and thin. She placed an ornate gold tassel with complicated knots and elaborate beading from the top of her desk and placed it carefully on the centre of the flapped edge of the document. With a delicate hand, she poured the wax on top of the edges with care. Placing the candle down, she waited for the wax to cool sufficiently. She then took a large stamp, carved from pitch obsidian and pressed it over the cooling wax. _

_When she removed the stamp, she could almost cry, the red brimmed along her eyes. The last time she would ever see the seal of Louisiana, the fleur de lis and the amaranth. _

_She called to Sigebert to let in the guest waiting in the hall. Her last child still alive. Her heart broke a little. All this time together, the four of them and he would soon walk this world alone. She was certain it would not be for long though. All of Sigebert's purpose was to be by her side, a thought that crushed her a little. _

_The man who walked in was black and elderly with tattoos framing his eyes and along his cheeks. _

"_Your majesty," he greeted with a bow, as Sigebert left the room. _

"_You may rise, Louis," she said regally. They were last notes of her position. _

"_I have a task for you and you alone," she said with as more strength and power than her health allowed. She pulled out a dagger from her desk. It was long, finely wrought and gleamed in the light of the candle. The hilt was curved, a beautiful carved dragon's head of dark metal with deadly eyes of contrasting rubies and a neck wrapped in supple leather. It was Nordic in origin, both beautiful and deadly. _

"_I was given this dagger a long, long time ago." Memories could almost be seen dancing behind her eyes, another time, another place. She continued, "See to it that its original owner is the only one who can open this document." _

"_Of course." _

"_Return it to me by this time tomorrow."_

"_Yes, my queen."_

_And with that, Louis took the documents and the dagger, slipping both into a hidden compartment in his jacket. He could sense the tides a-changin'. _

* * *

"You don't think you can slow down a little. You're going a little fast. It's not like we're in a hurry," Sookie said from the passenger seat.

To her left Eric was tapping his thumbs, humming to the main riff and vaguely singing to "Always on the Run" by Lenny Kravitz and Slash on the radio, "My mama said that your life is a gift…"

"Eric, remember my mortality…" Sookie said, gritting her teeth as she white knuckled the armrest on the door and her seat. She couldn't believe attitude the bastard sometimes.

"Who said this was fast? I'll have you know I drove under a semi at about a hundred miles per hour on the way to Monroe," Eric said with a smirk.

"Thanks for the expediency," Sookie muttered sarcastically. She could just smack him right now. It was amazing the roller coaster of emotions he brought out in her. And within minutes too!

Eric was back to humming the riff to "Always on the Run" as played by Slash and Lenny was singing, "And my mama said, leave those bad boys alone. And my mama said, be home before the dawn."

Sookie gave him the stink eye and Eric sighed, he released his lead foot. A little bit anyway.

Sookie relaxed slightly, "Thanks."

"But I'm always on the run…But I'm always on the run."

There was a slight pause between them as Eric barrelled down the highway from Monroe to Shreveport. Flurries of snow tumbled to the ground at a relaxed pace. The roads were dark and slick from the snow that fell and melted as soon as it hit the ground. Slightly cloudy skies blocked out some of the darkness, but the country was still very black this night. Even the sliver of moon was covered.

"My mama said, that it's good to be fruitful. But my mama said, don't take more than a mouthful."

"I still think of it often. Your mortality," Eric continued, glancing at her briefly as his fingers continued to tap on the steering wheel although it was almost nervous in energy this time.

"…it's good to be natural. And my mama said that it's good to be factual. But I'm always on the run…"

Sookie nodded in acknowledgment of his statement, "I should put you on _Motormouth._" She snickered.

"_Motormouth_?" Eric inquired.

"It's one of those hidden camera reality TV shows where a friend or relative or whatever turns in the person they know who sings freakishly and drives at the same time. The person who's in on it instigates the driver to sing really badly so that the motormouth can will the title of motormouth in the episode. They go up against two other contestants," Sookie explained.

"I do not sing freakishly," Eric complained as Slash launched into a guitar solo. Sookie thought she could see a pout on his lips. It amused her.

Sookie laughed, "Fine, you don't, but it'd still be something to see a vampire motormouth," she said.

"You know, I remember seeing Guns N' Roses do this song with Lenny in Paris on TV. Jason was a huge Guns fan. It was pay per view only. I remember Gran asking him why he had to see it and lecturing him on wasting the money but he did it anyway," Sookie said.

"I was there," Eric said with a smile, "I taped the entire concert, since it started when there was still daylight. I didn't get to see Lenny, but I did see Aerosmith onstage with the band. They did a Yardbirds cover."

Sookie laughed, "What other concerts have you been to?"

Eric shrugged, "Too many. I saw Beethoven in Vienna."

"My mama said, baby don't you ride that crazy horse…"

"You know I still have that tape. Well, I converted it to DVD. I got Bill to do that."

"Why am I not surprised?" Sookie teased.

"We could watch it if you wanted," Eric suggested.

"I'd like that." It was times like these, with their conversations in passing, that she could believe that she was with a normal man, talking about normal things. She could believe that she was like anyone else in the great wide world, that she wasn't different, that her life wasn't different.

"And my mama said, go get all that you're after. And my mama said that love's all that matters."

Eric reached across the length of the car to where Sookie was clutching her seat. He took his cool hand to his and ran his thumb over the skin on the top, feeling the healing and faded scab on it from the NLI. She looked like she needed it at the moment.

"Stop putting dents in the leather," he teased, deflecting.

"Stop driving like a bat out of hell," she said smiling, squeezing back.

"And I'm always on the run…"

"Reupholstering it is…" he returned.

"Would you like to grab a bite to eat?" he asked, leering down at her.

"Sure."

"We'll also pick up a few groceries for you and a change of clothes," Eric suggested.

She smirked, "I'm surprised you don't want me going around in your clothes."

"Oh, this is for your benefit."

Sookie marvelled in it, how she could feel so at ease with Eric, so relaxed, content even. Well, maybe when he wasn't driving like a maniac, but even that couldn't belay the feeling. Buffy wanted to go to prom with her honey, she wanted to have dinner and go shopping for groceries and clothes with hers.

"Thanks for that," she returned wryly, "Now keep your eyes on the road!"

Eric merely chuckled, "I have spatial awareness, you know?"

"What?"

"Spatial awareness. It's my vampire gift. I can sense everything in my surroundings without having to see it. Sort of like an infrared sensor," Eric explained matter-of-factly.

"That's convenient," Sookie replied dryly.

Eric purposely misinterpreted her, "Yes, it's gotten me out of many…jams. It's a handy advantage." Sookie rolled her eyes.

"It's not something I advertise. Only Pam knows of its existence," Eric elaborated.

"Oh…" Sookie replied quietly, his implication was duly noted and sweet, "I'll keep it secret."

"Thank you."

Sookie bit her lip. A sense of guilt rushed to the forefront of her mind. It caused Eric's gaze to snap from the windshield to her face intently, his thumb running across the back of her hand. Her body tensed. He could read her like a book. He knew her so well, she thought.

"I can read vampire minds sometimes," she blurted in a hurry. She felt like she had to tell him, if only because he had trusted her with his secret.

Eric's eyes widened, "What?"

Sookie looked away from him and Eric dropped her hand, only to bring it to her face, bringing her eyes to his.

Sookie sighed, she couldn't look him in the eye, she feared the negatives she could find there, the negatives that could crush her, "It's not something I can control. I just get flashes now and again. It seems to happen when I have vampire blood."

Eric's face was impassive, emotionless, it didn't rescind her fears, "Interesting." Then, a smirk, "Have you ever heard me?"

"Yes," Sookie whispered, wincing slightly. She dreaded explaining and all the horrible consequences that could happen to her that flushed into her mind. She hated it. She hated the feeling and she hated that she felt it in the first place. Things weren't supposed to be like that. She didn't want it to be.

"Do tell," Eric urged.

"The night you staked Longshadow. You were cold and pragmatic, like a snake. You were thinking that you could get me to do whatever you wanted just by threatening someone I cared about. Only you wanted to keep things nice, since you were mainstreaming… And when you had to leave after…after we slept together, I think. You didn't want to leave."

He stroked her cheek, then leaned in to kiss it, before whispering into her ear, "I wanted to crawl back into bed with you."

Sookie closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, "Yes."

She felt the loss of it as his attention refocused on driving. Still, his hand reconnected to hers.

"Any other vampires?" he inquired.

"Just at the Sophie Anne's trial at Rhodes. I heard Henrik. You were guarding me."

"Fascinating…" Eric said. He seemed deep in thought as he drove. Sookie tensed, expecting the worst.

Eric stroked her hand reassuringly. "What?" he asked.

"I just told you my biggest secret! It could get me killed!" Sookie exclaimed.

Eric brought her hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it, "I won't allow that," he said fiercely. His eyes were intense and blazed like hot coals. She believed it. Eric was a man of his word, if nothing else. He made good on his promises. She was sure Dermot's head was the result of Eric's word.

"I will not tell anyone else this. Besides, you keep my secret, I'll keep yours." A little smile was playing on his lips, like it was a little game. Sookie frowned.

"Just like that?"

"Just like that," Eric promised.

"Now where would you like to go for dinner?" he asked.

"You're not mad?" Sookie asked, baffled.

Eric winked, "We all have our secrets. Now answer the question."

"Something that's not down home comfort food? I've had it for the past week and a half," Sookie complained, "I kinda feel like a steak." The charity from the town was beginning to become her bane.

Eric smiled, "Steak it is."

Sookie couldn't believe it had been so easy to tell him, his reaction surprised her, but she supposed she should have expected it as well. Eric was cunning and devious, but usually not rash. She had feared the worst instead of looking at all perspectives and possibilities. Plus, she wondered if she always expected the worst from him, because then it would be so easy to run away. It would give her an excuse and an out. Eric both scared and excited her. Everything about him created a battle of extremes in her mind. She wished she could end it. It was the thing that drove her mad.

A silence stretched before them and Sookie found herself staring at the trees outside, almost attempting to recognize them from her trip earlier with Dermot. The words he'd said nagged at her brain. Something she'd have to ask him about and soon. The pair of them had accumulated quite the list between themselves.

"I can practically see the gears turning on your face, lover. What is it?"

"When Dermot took me, he said I was exactly like her…Do you know who he was talking about?"

Eric was silent as he pondered her words and then, "Perhaps…did he say anything else?"

"Yes…" Sookie said slowly, "He called you 'The Great Bloodslayer.'"

Eric smirked. It was cold. This day had truly been interesting.

"Aisling, fairy queen of the vampires," he said at last. He'd said it Ash-ling.

"You can't be serious," Sookie said, disbelief marked on her features.

"She fell in love with the king. The feeling was mutual," Eric said simply.

"It sounds like a fairy tale," Sookie whispered, her gaze fixed on their entwined hands. The meaning for the two of them was not lost.

"I suppose it was." His voice was faint, reminiscent.

The drive into the restaurant in Shreveport didn't take very long. After all, Eric didn't slow down very much. Still, Sookie was able to enjoy the feeling of being in the car with Eric and the passing scenery down the highway, a few old farmhouses, some livestock milling about, and the arching trees, all shadowed under the night. As the rushed past the quaint scenes, even with all the unsettled strife between the two of them, her heart felt happy and content.

Eric pulled up into a strip mall in an older, hip and upscale part of town, near the city centre. He stopped the car at a building in the corner of the street. It was about two stories high and made of deep red brick. Its shutters and window frames were all painted a hunter green. A sign over an ornately carved wooden door read, Umber. It was made out of twisted sheets of metal and wire.

"Nice place," Sookie commented.

"It is," Eric confirmed, "You're going to have to give me an accurate review of the food."

"Oh?"

"I own all the buildings on this block. I only manage and run Fangtasia, but Pam and I are investors in the restaurant as well," Eric explained.

"Ahh…Well, I think the number of stars depends on your behaviour," Sookie teased playfully. "So I'm not screwed coming in here looking like a slob in slippers?"

"You do not look like a slob. Besides, isn't it popular for women to wear those slipper like sheepskin boots nowadays?" Eric asked. Sookie could wear a potato sack and still look stunning, as far as he was concerned. As for women's fashion, well, he never really understood that much in the first place.

"Oh, you mean Uggs?"

Eric confirmed with a nod.

"Yeah."

Eric swiftly exited the car and helped Sookie exit as well. The car was locked with a beep as Eric used the remote on the key. His hand found hers as they approached the doors.

"They won't be too distraught by your appearance then?"

"I do own the building and Auguste, who owns the restaurant, is a vampire. I come here for some of my business dealings," Eric elaborated.

"I can't believe a vampire would own a restaurant."

"Auguste was a chef in his day. His sense of smell is his coup de gace in terms of cooking. He doesn't cook in the kitchen now, but he approves the menus and his nose does know winning dishes and it's saved many patrons from food poisoning or other food related calamities"

Sookie smiled, "Of course."

In a gentlemanly manner, Eric opened the doors for her as they entered the restaurant.

Upon seeing Eric's face, the hostess seemed to snap to a state of hyper attention. Certainly, she wasn't slacking before, but her performance anxiety had sharpened dramatically. The woman was wearing a sleeveless knee length cocktail dress with her brown hair tied neatly into a chignon. She signalled the maitre d, who was walking from a table, with her eyes. Sookie was certain that the entire kitchen and wait staff would now know that the Northman was in the building and his every whim had better be met, or else.

"Good evening, Mr. Northman," she greeted formally, "Two for tonight?"

"Yes," Eric verified, "Some place quiet, please."

"Of course," she answered smoothly, as she brought up two menus and quietly signalled another hostess to watch the station.

It was no surprise to Sookie when she stepped into the dining area that the restaurant was decorated in earthy shades of red, orange and yellow paint and draperies. Rich dark wood framed the walls of the building. It was also present on the hard wood floors. The place settings, vases and dishes provided contrast by being deep shades of blue, green and purple glass. The seats whether they be booths or chairs were all upholstered with black leather. The booths had tables of thick dark wood and the tables in the centre had starched white tablecloths. The fabric of the napkins was of high quality purple broadcloth. A small lantern created by a small thick candle encased in a small vase of glass lay on each table. The lounge area had circular tables of mottled grey granite which matched the table top on the bar itself.

Warm golden light was emitted by a massive chandelier made of blue glass. The crystals that dangled from it were an interesting spectacle of sharpness, reflection and light off their many faceted surfaces. No one crystal was the same. The chandelier had a traditional shape, but the crystals had polished surfaces, but rough edges. Smaller versions of the chandelier were hung around the restaurant along with lamps clinging from long chains. Purple and green glass balls dangled from the chains. The lamps were covered in white frosted glass domed like a Tiffany lamp. The glass dome was but rough and uneven.

The hostess led them to a table across the room in an area at the far wall of the restaurant that was raised with steps leading up. Next to the railing was a row of booths on the main floor. The raised section was currently seated by few. Their table was in the centre of the area.

The hostess efficiently handed them their respective menus and rattled off the specials of the day before leaving them to their waiter. As they were settled into their circular table, Sookie took in the environment with interest.

Paintings hung on the walls unframed in various different art styles. The same could be said of the sculptures of varying sizes that lay here and there as added décor from a soap stone polar bear tucked on the wooden frame in between booths and a Degas like girl displayed on a shelf, to a large Henry Moore inspired bronze in the front of the restaurant by the hostess station.

The overall effect of the dining room was a mix of an old upscale hotel's dining room with a modern touch, but without the coldness. It was comforting and cozy as well as especially intimate with its slightly dim lighting.

"The decorator is amazing," Sookie remarked.

"Auguste has a flair for décor as well. Pam helped," Eric said.

"Is the art…" Sookie started.

"Real? Yes, some works are those that Auguste, Pam, I and others have collected over the centuries. Auguste called in a few favours from us and we obliged. Some of it is actually quite priceless," Eric explained as if he were talking about a set of china he had bought on sale at a department store.

"Why would you display it in a restaurant? Aren't you afraid they'll be damaged or taken?" Sookie asked faintly.

"Auguste believes that all good art should be displayed and stealing from vampires is never rewarded," he said with a slightly chilling smile. It made Sookie remember Long Shadow. No, the consequences of thievery from vampires were immense.

"Besides," Eric continued, "Auguste has many vampires working here. It would be unwise to take or damage the art. Not to mention, most do not believe or even know of the great art history they sit upon within this room. If you're still worried, however, the security we installed is top notch and not just for the art. Umber is where most of us supes conduct business."

Sookie smiled, "An archaeologist, an art historian and an anthropologist would have a field day in your house, huh?"

"They would not be invited," Eric returned with a smile of his own, as he reached across the table for her hand. He winked as if to say, 'You would be.'

"How long have you lived here? In Shreveport." Sookie inquired.

"Since the 30s…I came down from New England. Sophie had requested I come to visit, for old time's sake, to New Orleans, where she laid out her proposition. The former sheriff of Area 3, at the time, had instigated a rather bloody coup attempt against Sophie Anne. His name was Martin Sinclair. It had been a case of keeping your allies close, but your enemies closer, similar to Kennedy choosing Johnson as his running mate. Their opposition had been brewing for something like fifty years. In the subsequent war, Sinclair was killed along with the sheriff of Area 5 who defended Sophie Anne, Max Andropov. Sophie was in the process of consolidating her power when she called me down and offered me Area 5. She knew me well. I could not refuse. Area 3 went to Cleo's maker, Kate van Leuwen. She retired her position to Cleo."

"Why Area 5?" Sookie queried.

"Unlike the south of Louisiana it's sparsely populated. There's a lot of land, mostly rural and forests with just enough urbanity," Eric explained.

"You have power but less of a hassle and solitude," Sookie gleaned.

"Yes, not to mention, it's the best area, defensively speaking. The myriad of swamps and forests, the terrain, it makes it very difficult to attack. My people know the land well. We can trap and hide. Playing the game of guerrilla war would favour us."

"I never considered that…but you're right," Sookie realized, "So why did the takeover happen the way it did?"

Eric sighed, it was a regret of his, "Our power was weak. The hurricane impacting the economic situation and the safety of vampires in Louisiana did not help matters. We were disorganized and separated, Cleo, Arla and I. We did not agree on much and without the unanimity of our decisions and actions in Sophie Anne's stead, any one of us would have been seditious or treasonous. I wanted to mobilize to defend our borders. They did not perceive a serious threat. They thought we had time and did not want to be hasty."

"Your hands were tied." Eric nodded.

"I also think Sophie was ready to go. She couldn't go with a whimper though," Eric mused.

Sookie smiled, "She was too proud and dignified to go down to something as trivial as Sino-AIDS."

Eric chuckled and agreed.

It was then that the waiter took their drink order and filled her glass with water. Sookie decided on a white wine. She figured she would need the liquid courage for later. The thought filled her with anxiety.

Eric took note of her disposition. Rubbing her hand, he smiled, "You need not worry, lover."

"I'll worry anyway," Sookie retorted. Eric snickered and she huffed.

"You stay in the same home all this time?" Sookie asked.

"For the most part, I have several houses in the area."

"But only one batcave?" Sookie teased.

Eric smirked, his eyes twinkling, "You could say that." He looked forward to sharing his home with her...in many ways.

"I come out to see what has my staff in such a state and who should I find but you?" boomed a slightly accented voice.

The owner was a slim, but muscled man about 5'10" with long dark hair and blue eyes. His features were polished and elegant, decidedly French. He was well dressed in a black Italian suit with a slight shine, a white shirt, royal purple vest and a red silk tie. He set down Sookie's wine with a flourish.

"Eric," he greeted with a smile and a slight nod. Then, he turned to Sookie, "Mademoiselle."

"Auguste," Eric returned, smirking.

Eric turned his head to Sookie, and introduced, "My bonded, Sookie Stackhouse. This is the chef I have told you about, Auguste Gilford."

Auguste offered his hand to Sookie and she placed it in his, allowing him to debonairly place a kiss on it, "I am charmed," he said, "You are lovely."

"Thank you," Sookie replied.

"Eric, you have all the luck," Auguste mourned.

"Indeed," Eric responded, placing a kiss on Sookie's cheek.

"You smell of war, my friend. I am jealous," Auguste pouted.

"Perhaps next time," Eric said with a smile. He was beginning to think he would need to keep a board to tally the owners of to whom he owned battle. It could be useful soon, he mused.

"Perhaps, indeed. I have a package for you. I will let Pamela know I delivered it to you personally. I'll present it to you later," Auguste revealed.

"Thank you," Eric replied.

"I hope you enjoy my restaurant, Miss Stackhouse," Auguste said.

"The décor is amazing," Sookie complimented.

"Thank you," he said excitedly and then whispered conspiratorially, "That Degas in the corner there is Eric's," before leaving them with a bow.

"He's charming," Sookie remarked as she began to open and peruse the menu.

"Yes," Eric agreed as he did the same.

The selections all sounded delicious, but as the waiter came around, Sookie ordered the prime rib with mushrooms, grilled shrimp, garlic mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables along with a spinach salad to start. She was happy that her appetite was returning. Eric ordered a specialty blended blood.

Sookie sipped her wine as the waiter brought Eric a silver pitcher of blood with a frosted crystal chalice. The pitcher was set upon what looked like a glass candy dish with an artistically warped and shaped lip, where a candle sat inside to keep the blood warm. Sookie smirked. It was rather clever.

Sookie was enjoying her salad when Eric read a text message off his phone with amusement, "Pam has gone to see _Underworld: Evolution_."

Sookie laughed, "You must think it's the strangest retelling of vampires and werewolves."

Eric shrugged, "It's not so bad. They're always amusing at worst, entertaining at best."

"Think Pam has the hots for Kate Beckinsale?"

"It's the leather outfit and her use of automatic pistols. Perhaps the English accent as well. Pam is sexually broad, as you know and enjoys sidearms. Other than that- I believe her name is Selene- She is much too…cold to be a vampire of any real interest. The concept and premise of the movie was intriguing though."

"Pam probably wants to steal Selene away from Michael," Sookie said wryly.

Eric chuckled, "You're probably right. I would enjoy seeing that."

"I'm surprised you even watch vampire movies."

"It's kind of like your _Gone with the Wind._ Something familiar but a whole other world," Eric explained.

"Ahh," she said and put down her fork, done with her salad.

Eric reached over and placed his hand over hers. Sookie couldn't help but smile at how he engulfed hers.

He caught her eye, "I meant it, you know? You are absolutely magnificent and I can't imagine anyone else who would risk their life for me the way you do."

"What about Pam?" she said with a smile and teasing glint in her eyes.

Eric returned it and then ran his fingers over her cheek, his face serious, awed, "You astound me," he whispered.

Sookie swallowed, she could feel her eyes water, looking into his and the way he was looking at her. Her chest was contracting. She placed her hand over his on her face, bringing his hand closer to her cheek, wanting his touch.

"What do you fear?" he asked softly.

Sookie's eyes flickered from his, focusing on the tablecloth, she whispered, "That what I feel for you isn't returned." She felt exposed admitting that to him.

Eric stroked her arm soothingly, smiling slightly, "Don't be afraid, for you have nothing to fear."

The admission gave her strength and caused her feelings for him to rush through her veins and surround her entire being. Looking into his eyes in return, she whispered, "I wouldn't do it for anyone else," placing a chaste kiss into his palm.

"You mean too much to me," she said, "It hurts."

Eric placed his forehead over hers, "Too much to be without, too much to be with."

Sookie closed her eyes and felt a tear stream down her cheek, "Yes."

Eric gently wiped her tear away with his thumb and leaned back slightly, so he could see her face.

"I meant it, one year ago, I meant it two weeks ago and I mean it now. Come live with me. I offer you my wealth and possessions, everything I have," he said staring at her intently.

Sookie laughed and smiled through her tears, using her hand to swipe them away, "You're such a jerk, using the situation…God, you almost died!"

Eric smiled, "I'll admit to it. Did you expect differently?"

Sookie smiled in return, "No." It was nice to have something to rely on, she thought wryly.

Eric reached for her hand and placed it over his once beating heart, "I desire you with my heart." Something he had known for months and struggled to. "What of you?"

Sookie closed her eyes, feeling the tears tickling her eyelashes. So help her God, "I do."

"Say yes," and Sookie could hear the mental 'please' in his head. She could also feel every wall, every divide, every barrier within her crumbling to the one thing in her heart she knew was right, perfect, best.

She sighed, afraid and exhilarated, "Okay," she said looking into his eyes, "okay." And she watched as the most beautiful smile stretched across his face and glimmer in his eyes, full of joy, youth and innocence. One thousand years of what must be hardship and heartbreak was gone. She wanted to see that smile forever.

She felt her world slide into place and leave behind the fear that had clenched itself upon her for so long.

"There are stipulations I want to make," she amended, but Eric's smile did not falter.

"Of course," he replied, "Do tell." Then, gestured for her to continue, as if humouring her. Sookie stuck her tongue out at him, causing him to raise an eyebrow. Sookie just rolled her eyes.

"I'll stay with you until my house is fixed, like a trial period. If I decide to a permanent situation…"

"You will," Eric said self assuredly. Sookie punched him in the arm.

"I want to be able to keep my house and go back sometimes. Can you deal with that?" she asked meekly.

Eric sighed in an exaggerated manner, he was practically buzzing with excitement, like a boy who had just seen the first snow, "You drive a hard bargain, but I think I'll live…If you don't take my other kidney or something else of that dramatic nature."

Sookie shot him an unamused expression.

Eric smiled at her, still clutching her hand in his, "You have made me very happy."

"Don't make me forget it," she shot back with a smirk.

Eric decided to show exactly how much she wasn't going to regret it with his trump card, an earth shattering kiss. One thousand years of experience or not, the boy could kiss and Sookie couldn't help but grab his chest and shoulders and pull him closer as Eric weaved his hand through her hair and stroked her back. Sookie sighed in pleasure. Eric took the opportunity to taste her hot, sweet mouth and tease her tongue. Not to be outdone, Sookie sucked his pouty bottom lip. Hearing his moan rumble through his chest made her smile. The things he did to her, the things she did to him. They were quite the match.

They were broken up by the waiter clearing his throat with Sookie's meal on his hand. His expression was decidedly amused. Sookie felt the blood rush to her cheeks, but Eric just smirked, looking like he just he just won the Stanley Cup or something. Sookie could swear he was almost preening. But behind it, she could see the pure, unadulterated joy in his eyes and a boyish laugh just dying to escape from his throat. Only his rank as the badass sheriff of Area 5 kept him from it, Sookie was sure.

Her entire meal was delicious. It was like an orgasm in her mouth. Eric had made a comment about her cheating on him with not only a chocolate cake, but a steak too, so she kicked him in the shins as hard as her slippers would allow.

She was about halfway through her dinner and sipping her wine when Eric looked at her sardonically and grinned, swirling his chalice of blood in his hand, "Not so difficult, now was it?"

"You're never gonna let me hear the end of this are you?" Sookie said, rolling her eyes.

Eric took her hand and brought it to his lips for a kiss, "Never."

Sookie smiled at him shyly through her eyelashes. That definitely did things to him.

Sookie took a few bites of her steak and potatoes, heaven, definitely heaven, chewing thoughtfully. "Tell me about the bond."

Eric's eyebrow quirked.

"This is unusual," he commented slyly.

"Do you really have to say it?" Sookie asked, exasperated.

Eric ran his finger down Sookie's arm, "I'll grant you clemency this once. You look great in my hoodie, by the way."

"Thanks," Sookie said sarcastically.

"The bond is like a mirror, built from the mutual exchange of blood. It can only reflect what is already there. It is honest. You can see yourself and your bonded through it. Nothing is created that isn't already present," Eric started.

"Mmm…That's why you were so frustrated with me," Sookie said, thoughtfully. She felt guilty, she admitted, but that couldn't be helped now and it looked like things had worked out.

"Yes, lover, you were driving me up the wall quite literally," Eric reached for her free hand, holding it in one and using his free hand to draw patterns on the back of her hand and tops of her fingers, "Our bond is unique. The strength of a bond is dependent upon the strength of the feelings between the participants. Not only that, the nature of the bond is also dependent on those feelings. A bond forged out of resentment can tear a pair apart and drive them insane, especially if it is between a human and a vampire. Humans usually suffer most from those bondings."

"What Andre would have done to me," Sookie ascertained. Eric nodded in agreement and kissed her temple.

"I could not let that happen to you. It was unacceptable to me," Eric said, fiercely.

"Creating a bond with the implicit purpose to control a human, the heavy exchange of blood…it creates a Renfield. Blood bonds can be formed between vampires as well, whether the couple are vampires entering into it or if one party is a human and later becomes a vampire. They are permanent, not easily removed. When bonds are removed, also depending on the emotions of the participants, it's not pretty," Eric shuddered visibly at the thought.

"Seeing someone with a severed bond is not something I would wish upon you. They are desolate creatures, forlorn and trapped within despair, without will or purpose. That's when a bond is mutual. Most often what happens when a bond is forcibly removed, the vampires will either wither and die or kill each other. Only one bond has been removed with any success in all my history. Still, a bond is never truly removed. A vampire or human will always be bonded, but maybe not linked between."

"So you're stuck with me?" Sookie asked. It was a lot to take in. She couldn't believe Eric would do it, knowing full well the consequences, that she might die and he might wither. She didn't want to think about that. She ran into burning and exploding buildings for him and she supposed Eric bonded with her. Reckless and impulsive was evenly split into the two of them.

"And you with me," Eric returned.

"Burning buildings and blood bonds, we sure make a pair," she whispered.

Eric chuckled, "Indeed."

"Did you engineer the knife too?"

"Not at the time…but it became useful later…now, in the present," Eric replied honestly.

Sookie searched the bond, finding his statement verified. After all, he had explained its mechanics to her.

"How did you find the knife?" Sookie asked curiously.

Eric smirked, "Money and a witch from New Orleans."

"You can buy anything these days," Sookie deadpanned.

Eric shrugged, "Some things for certain, other things not so much. The Internet is certainly a hit or miss."

"That's because you can't go and easily beat the shit out of that fucker at eBay who gyped you," Sookie teased.

Eric sighed dramatically, "No, it's rather unfortunate."

Sookie laughed.

Then she sighed, "What about the marriage?"

Eric smiled, "That wasn't so difficult, now was it?"

"I figure we might as well get this over with."

"You remember the marriage of Mississippi and Indiana? Russell and Bart?" Eric asked.

Sookie nodded. She remembered Eric officiating, her surprise that he was some sort of priest. It was almost like Joey on _Friends._ She half wondered if he got ordained online or if it was something else.

"It is very much like your traditional human marriage, the ones of thousands of years past, based upon economics, survival, status and alliance. There is a ceremony. The parties entered into a contract, one that provided for the economics of each other their kingdoms, their continued survival, the increase in status with the joint wealth and power of their kingdoms and an alliance through their formal commitments to each other. It is no different from human monarchs who wed hundreds and thousands of years ago," Eric explained.

"But Russell and Bart seem to really care for each other," Sookie protested.

"Yes, it's unusual for emotions to be attached to vampire marriages. Romantic passionate love wasn't something that was given thought to until about the 1500s. The marriages are usually more like the one between Sophie Anne and Peter Threadgill. The truth is that the marriage is what you make it. You could say we have an alliance now. Our marriage lays out the guidelines and boundaries regarding other supernaturals towards you. It can be an alliance or it can be more," Eric clarified.

"It's something we define?" Eric nodded. "I like that," Sookie said.

"I thought you might," Eric smirked.

"Did you love her? Your wife, Aude," Sookie asked, as she finished her shrimp. She watched his face intently. She was innately curious about this, but she couldn't be jealous of a woman who had been dead for over a thousand years.

Eric appeared thoughtful, "I had a great affection for her, but love? No. It was a marriage of duty and obligation. We came to care for each other, but we never loved each other. Passionate romantic love wasn't something I had as a human."

Sookie wanted to ask a follow up question, but her tongue held. Instead, she continued finishing her food and joking with Eric as he also sipped his blood. It was then she remembered that he was one of her favourite people to be around. His company was easy and fun. Even before they had what they did between each other, she found a companionship in him. The conversation always flowed and he could make her laugh with ease. They had an easy friendship, but Sookie wondered if they had ever really been just friends though. It had always felt like there was or could be something more between them.

"So what are we?" Sookie pondered, "Calling you my boyfriend is too weird and you're not my husband in a way I recognize, personally."

"You are mine and I am yours," Eric said simply. Eric had a certain way with words and being elloquent.

"That works," Sookie said, her lip quirked into a smirk. It really_ fit_.

For the first time in a long while, Eric felt calm, a great sense of peace. At long last.

* * *

It was decadent.

Sookie moaned, Eric did his best to look jealous. Sookie snickered.

Auguste had insisted upon dessert when she'd polished off her plate. He'd also given Eric a thickly stuffed envelope, the kind closed with a special tab secured with thread. Sookie imagined it was like one of those files that the president always had in movies labelled 'For Your Eyes ONLY.' The pair had then exchanged pleasantries with the area business.

Eric had suggested that they go shopping for some clothes for Sookie first before getting groceries, since the supermarket closed later. Conveniently, there were several clothing boutiques on the street that catered to vampire hours, in addition to normal ones, on account of the buildings being owned by Eric.

All of the buildings on Eric's block were brick or limestone, built at the turn of the century and well preserved. The upper levels held office space and the lower levels were commercial.

Sookie wasn't too keen on venturing into the boutiques. Many of them boasted designer labels, but Eric just chuckled and shook his head as he shuffled her along until he reached a store towards the end of the block of buildings called Lucky Luna's.

The store front showed two pairs of sleek black mannequins in clothes that while trendy was more casual, definitely something she would actually wear. Inside, the store was fairly large; it resembled a chic 60s or 70s home with its geometric flower patterned tile on one wall, wood floors, geometric furniture, and tables that were rounded squares with a hollow centre for piles of clothes. They were on the walls too, housing racks of clothes. Its colour scheme mostly contrasted between the dark wood and leafy green bamboo in pots, as well as green walls, along with black marble countertops and white tile. The seats were all white or black.

Eric managed to pick up more than just a few necessities for spending the night with him, by convincing her she ought to have a few things at his house so she didn't need to be hassled to bring things over from her house all the time. Sookie grumbled, but decided to oblige him as he wanted to gift her as a house warming present. He may have threatened her with the words 'car replacement.' She picked up a long, soft, loose fitting white sweater that fit off the shoulder with slightly belled sleeves, three pairs of jeans of various fits and colours, a pair of black slacks, some cute tops, two tee shirts and a hoodie with a patterned fabric. She figured she couldn't wear Eric's all the time. Sookie also found a pair of flat heeled leather boots for the cold weather and pair of sneakers.

About halfway through the visit, Eric found a black string bikini with red ties, featuring a sketched white graphic consisting of a pair of large circles for eyes, a straight line indicating a crooked smile and fangs in an all over pattern. "You don't want to be in the hot tub naked do you? It's outside," he'd said. Sookie groaned. She had to admit it was adorable.

The more risqué part of the trip involved the lingerie area and their 'difference in tastes.' Sookie knew the sneak would find a way to smuggle what he wanted out of the store and get her in his purchases eventually.

Eric thoughtfully picked up a long black pea coat with a cinched waist and flared past the hips just past her knees. It was made of warm wool and even had a hood and a fashionable high collar, along with muted gold buttons. She smiled when she saw that the lining was cranberry silk with intricate gold and silver embroidery. Just before they left, Sookie grabbed some more winter wear, the sleeves of Eric's hoodie and the pockets only kept her so warm. She took a pair of wool mittens, a scarf and a tuque with ear flaps.

Upon making the purchases, Sookie returned Eric's hoodie reluctantly for her new pea coat. It just was too awkward to walk around with a pair of grey sleeves that stuck out. She was a bit sad to part with it though. She told Eric she'd steal it when he wasn't looking, causing him to look very smug. The girl at the cashier had looked curious as to why Sookie didn't have a proper jacket until Sookie eplained, or rather fibbed, that she had been in Florida for the last few years and in her haste to see her boyfriend had neglected to pack warmly or check the weather in Shreveport. Eric looked particularly gleeful.

It had been a successful trip and not without some making out in the change rooms either.

Eric drove them a few blocks to a Safeway that stayed opened later where they decided to divide and conquer so to speak, since Eric mentioned he had some errands to run as well. Eric had handed her a few bills from his wallet. Sookie teased him, since it was clear he had more than enough blood from the cases in the trunk. "What more could a vampire need?" Eric had insisted that as many of her bags be stowed behind the seats for his errand. Auguste's package was stowed in the locked glove compartment along with a shiny black handgun that Sookie had raised her eyebrow at. Eric had just smiled and told her that there were a lot more weapons in his car.

Inside the Safeway, Sookie quickly picked up a few things for food, a few basics, milk, coffee, cream, sugar, juice, eggs, butter, breakfast and some snacks. Upon a bit of inner debate, Sookie decided to pick up some flour, yeast and vanilla. You never know and if she was going to be staying at Eric's awhile, it would be worth it to have something she could use to bake something, should the mood strike her. She then continued to the hygiene aisle to pick up her preferred brands of shampoo, conditioner, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, razor, shaving cream, lip balm and moisturizer.

When Sookie completed her purchases and met Eric at the front of the store, she was met with shock. Propped against his legs was a large package of dog food. Sookie quirked an eyebrow. Eric sighed and said, "Don't ask."

Eric then hefted the large package out the sliding doors with Sookie at his side and after loading their things into the trunk, they were off again. Little traffic impeded them due to the late hour. It was nearing 1am. Sookie thought she might be getting sleepy, or even asleep already, but instead she felt energized. She wondered if it was an effect of Eric's emotional state, bleeding into hers from the bond. Eric drove them past the lit up streets of the downtown area into the more residential areas of Shreveport. He pulled into the underground parking of a large luxury condo complex that had a multitude of chic shops and boutiques across from it.

"This is so not where I see you living," Sookie deadpanned.

"Well, I don't live here, lover," Eric said with a smile. Sookie shot him a confused look.

"We're switching cars," he explained.

Eric opened his window and coded into the keypad the entry to the private section of the parking garage and the metal garage door opened. Then, he took the ramp down to the second level. The entrance to this area was blocked by an even thicker metal garage door. Eric removed a nondescript black remote from the glove compartment and pressed it, then entered the code to the garage door onto another keypad.

"This feels like a spy movie," Sookie commented.

"I suppose it actually is," Eric deadpanned, "You haven't gotten to the good part."

Eric drove into the garage, revealing an area stocked full of expensive sports cars, convertibles, SUVs and sedans, "The remote locks the door behind us, the elevators and other entrances into this level and cuts the cameras too."

"That's handy," Sookie said dryly.

"I'll get you your own for Christmas," Eric teased, "One of the advantages of building and owning this place."

Driving to the end of the parking space, Eric cut the engine, stepped out of the Corvette and pressed the secret remote once again. The concrete wall spread open to reveal a reinforced steal door which lowered to reveal a shiny charcoal Lexus ES sedan.

"We're switching cars," Eric repeated at Sookie's dumbfounded expression.

Sookie shook herself out of her shock, "Right."

Eric reached into his pocket and removed a separate set of keys, opening the car, before pulling it up beside his Corvette to transfer their purchases. Completing his task, Sookie settled into the passenger seat as Eric parked his Corvette into the hidden chamber, locked it and then sealed the sports car in place of the ES with a press of his remote.

"I'm surprised you didn't kiss her goodbye," Sookie jibed as Eric entered the car.

Eric merely sighed, "Like I told Amelia before, the Corvette isn't my baby."

"Surrrree…"

"You'll see when you get to my house," he said as he started the engine of the ES and pressed another button on his remote, causing the garage door to open.

"Do you always switch cars?" Sookie asked.

"No, usually I go straight home or change the licence plate. The situation within the new regime has me taking certain…precautions."

Once they had cleared the exit of the parking garage and were outside once more, Eric pressed the remote again. Then, they were speeding off to Eric's home for no matter what car he drove, the speed was always the same, breakneck. Oh and the motermouthing was the same too. Only this time it was "Remember" by Aerosmith.

It was then Sookie realized that they were headed further and further away from the centre of Shreveport. The bright lights of the city faded into the intermittent lights of the highway leading into the city and then the pitch black of the highway. Unlike the hours before, the sky had cleared and away from the city, Sookie could pick up the stars in the sky through the moonroof like at home in Bon Temps. The sky was very black, it was almost unusual, Sookie thought.

When she was speeding with Eric, she felt free. The thought brought a smile to her face. Well, as long as he wasn't going too fast.

A few miles after the last lights had lit the highway and disappeared from view, rural farmhouses and land began to appear. Eric turned off the highway and onto a paved country road that would need to see a few repairs soon. He drove deep into the heart of the rural land, cutting through the remnants of the long grazing grass weighed down by snow, sweeping at the white fences that lined the road. Soon, the grass gave way to forest and the paved road disappeared. First a few deciduous trees, indiscernible in the dark, then thick groupings of them as they became a full fledged forest. Sookie imagined they were maples, elms, poplars and of course, magnolias. The pines were deeper into the forest.

Eric abruptly turned in between a thick grouping of conifers with a hidden space just wide enough for a car to get through. He drove for about 100 metres before Sookie was surprised with the headlights revealing a smoothly paved road of asphalt and then cobblestones as they continued along the path. After awhile, Eric reached a gated area. A long stone fence with black wrought iron bars on top of the stone, stretched on either side as far as the eye could see. A wide arch stood above the gate with an elaborately carved keystone in the middle. The gate itself was wrought iron and black to match the fence. Upon the centre of the gate was a pair of lion reliefs in muted gold.

Pulling up to the gate, a keypad was revealed, Eric typed a number into it and then placed his entire hand on a screen where his palm was scanned. Then, he extracted a remote from one of the hidden recesses of the ES and pressed down on it, causing the gate to retract, revealing a cobbled path in between a fairly dense forest.

Eric followed the path for a couple hundred metres, then took a turn, exposing a clearing of a well maintained lawn, even now that it was covered with snow and the large natural stone structure that was Eric's house. His home was large, but not audaciously so. It was clear that it had been built at the turn of the last century, or at least created to give that effect. Sookie could sense a slight antebellum influence in the large white columns that framed the main entrance to the home and supported the roof, but that was about it. A balcony with black rails sat in between the columns on what looked like the third floor. Otherwise, the place had a European or New England feel to it. It reminded her vaguely of a castle.

While the house itself wasn't obnoxious or flashy, the centrepiece of the front yard clearly was. It was a massive marble statue of an eight legged horse just about to take off on a bounding leap. The animal was blazed in clear motion and seemed influenced by Rodin.

As they drove closer to the house, Sookie could see a fairly large cottage or cabin beside the cobblestone drive about 50 metres or so from the house. A light was still on in the windows and when they drove by, Sookie could see an old man in a worn couch reading a book in pyjamas with a cup of tea by his side and a quilt over his legs. Upon hearing the car, he looked up and waved. Eric returned it.

"Who's that?" Sookie asked.

"Carl, my groundskeeper," Eric said.

"You have a groundskeeper?"

"Yes, to take care of the horses and maintain the property. Carl and his wife, Ellie, enjoy gardening too. They go wild in the Springtime."

"I'm sure they do…You have horses?"

Eric gestured past the side of the house and Sookie just could make out what looked like a wooden barn off in the distance to the left of the house and a few horses with their thick winter coats wandering lazily about.

"Yes, we let them wander the property, they're quite hardy. Don't be afraid if they come up to the house. They're probably looking for treats."

"You spoil them, don't you?"

Eric sighed, "Naturally."

"How long has Carl and Ellie been with you?" Sookie asked.

"Decades, Carl's family lived near here and he was born soon after I moved into the area. I've known of him since he was a toddler and we met formally when he was a teenager. He and Ellie had attempted to sneak onto the property in between their teenage hormones," he explained with a smirk. Sookie chuckled.

Approaching the house, Sookie could notice its details. A black door with a gold door knocker in a lion's head stood in between the columns with a staircase that led up to it. The large windows were framed white. Windows with shutters were framed white with black shutters. The garage was built into the house flawlessly with perfectly matching stone and a black door. Eric opened his car window and placed his palm on a keypad on the garage, causing it to open.

"Your house is beautiful," Sookie complimented.

"Thank you, lover."

As Eric rolled into the garage, Sookie noticed that it was large enough to store maybe eight or more cars. It had an entrance, but then was like a miniature parking garage. Sookie noted the neatly stored mechanic and wood working tools as well as two motorcycles and an ATV. There was also a black BMW SUV parked in the garage. However, what really caught her eye was a shiny black Trans Am with a silvery phoenix painted on the hood.

"That's my baby," Eric said, "I've had her since she came out in 1972. Pam got T-tops put in on her death day for me. I had been thinking about it for awhile. She conspired with Carl and Ellie."

Sookie just snickered, "I promise to stay ten feet away from it at all times."

Eric just shook his head. He got out of the car and helped Sookie out as well. As they approached the door to the house, Sookie could hear a thumping and scratching sound from the door. Eric rubbed his temples and sighed. Sookie took in his behaviour with curiosity and amusement.

Upon opening the door with his keys, a gigantic dog darted out, leapt to his hind legs and began to lick Eric's face and neck, resting his paws on Eric's chest. Eric's expression was decidedly deadpan as he attempted to shuffle past the dog to disarm the alarms in his house. Sookie noted a keypad for his palm as well, just inside the room. She couldn't help but laugh at the situation which brought the dog's attention to her. He dislodged himself from Eric and ran up to her in the garage, sniffing her hands and pockets for treats. Finding none, he gave her big old dog kisses on her cheek and hands anyway. Sookie went on her knees and pet his grey and silvery shaggy fur and scratch his ears as Eric dealt with the alarms.

"His name is Xander," Eric said, watching her with amusement from inside.

"What kind of dog is he? He's huge!" Sookie exclaimed.

"He's an Irish Wolfhound, another gift from Pam. For last Christmas," he said with an air of regret, "More of a joke than a gift, I suppose. She said it was so I could remember a time when I actually conquered something, like Ireland over one thousand years ago. I told her that was ridiculous since I'm Swedish and we never went to Ireland, the Norwegians did and that the Irish eventually kicked the Vikings out of Ireland and were never able to conquer their spirit. She made the comment that they were my relatives and when Xander grew up, I could sic him on Alcide on the full moon."

Sookie giggled, "She gave you Xander as a puppy after Jackson?"

"Yes, he has an exceeding level of attachment to me," Eric mourned. Sookie just chuckled and played with Xander a bit.

Sookie took in his collar, a beautiful hand crafted leather one with an elaborate handworked pattern on it, while Eric uncapped a jar of treats from a cabinet in what looked like Sookie to be the laundry room. Xander then plodded over to Eric and gobbled up his treat with glee. Then, he retired to his large animal bed and began to chew on a big mottled stuffed wolf. Sookie snickered. She went over to pet him while Eric unloaded their purchases and his sword.

"Did you make the collar?" Sookie asked as Eric brought in the groceries.

"Yes," Eric sighed, Sookie let out another snicker.

The dog food got Xander's undivided attention when Eric lugged it in. It was the last of their items to be brought in. Sookie couldn't help but fall for the dog, he was incredibly friendly and silly. Eric set down Xander's food, causing the dog to hover around it excitedly as Eric entered Sookie's information and palm print into his security system in the laundry room and explained that the entire house was pretty much locked down and secure at all times with the best of modern security measures.

Eric took her first to the kitchen. Xander followed excitedly due to his food being brought in, his tail drumming back and forth rapidly. As Eric fed Xander and refilled his water bowl, Sookie took in the house. The floors were all dark hardwood, except for the kitchen with its tile and the living and sitting rooms with the carpet. Each room was painted a different colour and was inviting as well. Unlike what the exterior architecture would dictate, the floor plan was fairly open. Eric's décor was a mix of a few favourite classics mixed with some more modern things like the large leather sofa beside a simple wooden coffee table with an old ceramic lamp whose design oozed Chinese Ming Dynasty. It was a converted vase. Nothing was too cluttered and everything was comfortable and cozy. There was art on the walls and tables from all history and cultures and Sookie was sure she'd enjoy taking a look at each in detail.

The kitchen was painted a warm golden yellow with dark granite table tops and dark wooden cabinets that matched the hardwood floors of the house. Sookie was surprised that he had appliances besides the microwave, but he did and they were all top of the line. She helped Eric store the food while Xander clomped away at his dinner. There was a breakfast nook with a nice wooden table to the side as well.

"Is he named after Xander from _Buffy_?" Sookie asked.

"Yes," Eric answered, "I wanted to name him something Swedish, but Pam called him Xander and it stuck. He only answers to Xander, although he understands commands in Swedish as well."

Xander barked, his head darting from his bowl in mid chew, as he heard his name.

"Yes, that's your name," Eric mocked, sighing.

Sookie giggled at the thought of Pam watching _Buffy_. She was almost certain that if Buffy were real, Pam would seduce her away from killing vampires and over to her sexual persuasion.

Xander gobbled up the rest of his meal and then licked Eric's hands. He rolled onto his belly and whined at him. Eric said something under his breath before he obliged in scratching Xander's belly for him. When he was happy, he sat up and Eric patted the beast's big head before he ran off with a jangle of his collar.

Currently, they were leaning up against the kitchen counter as Eric told her some information regarding the house.

"While I waited for you at Safeway, I took the opportunity to text Amelia and Sam one of the private and secure phone numbers to this house. Should you hear this tone," he then picked up his cell phone and dialled a number, causing a distinct tone to ring on the house phone, "you will know it is Amelia or Sam calling you."

"Impressive," Sookie said.

Eric just shrugged, "You can call her in the morning to bring you Niall's concoction as well as anything you may need. Just meet her for lunch or something of the sort. Take the Lexus or the BMW."

"You want your home to remain secret," Sookie observed.

"Yes," Eric said with a nod.

Sookie had just been shared with one of Eric's greatest secrets, his innermost sanctum and she wasn't going to betray his trust in her, "I'll keep its location secret."

"Thank you," Eric said as he took off his jacket, setting it on the counter, "Welcome to the batcave. Now would you like the tour?"

Sookie's gaze turned to the floor, with its Persian rug, biting her lip and shook her heard. She then wrapped her arms around Eric and snuggled against his chest. Eric gathered her tightly.

She gazed up at him from his chest, "I just want to feel you tonight," she whispered.

Eric cupped her face in his hands and looked into her eyes, understanding her need for he felt it too. Too much had happened today. Too much could have been lost.

Eric leaned down and Sookie stood on her tip toes to kiss him. First sweetly and then more passionate. Sookie could feel Eric's smile on his lips and kissed the corner of his mouth where the tiny indents formed when he smiled. Eric caught her lips before she could retreat and licked her lower lip, causing her to moan. It was just the thing for Eric's tongue to seek entrance to her hot, sweet mouth. Sookie repositioned her arms around his shoulders and neck. She felt a need to be as close to him as she could. She felt drunk on Eric's passion as he played with her tongue and sucked on her lower lip. She felt his hand running down her hair as his thumb stroked her cheek as his other hand drew patterns on her hip and back.

Having enough of their height difference, Eric's hands streamed down her back before cupping her ass, giving it a firm squeeze before bringing her legs around his waist and setting her down on the kitchen counter. Sookie smiled. He did all this without breaking his kiss. She pushed his hoodie off him, he didn't need it. When Eric stepped between her legs, Sookie wrapped them around his waist and butt. Eric's hands were exploring the hemline of her sweater and shirt, before going underneath to feel her soft, creamy skin. Sookie did some exploring of her own as he began to lick, nibble and kiss her neck. His defined pectorals and abs twitched slightly under her hands and the thin fabric of his wifebeater. She brushed her thumb against his nipples. She ran her nails along his shoulders and back, which Eric really liked if his moan and hardness was any indication. He also really liked it when she squeezed his butt, grinding his hips into her core.

With his hands in her shirt, Sookie noticed that it was bunching around her waist. Eric began to tease the exogenous area around her ear and combined with his hands rubbing and massaging her breasts through her bra and the grinding of his hips into her core, Sookie felt undone. She was more than sure Eric could smell her arousal and feel how wet she was. Not to be outdone, she palmed Eric's bulging arousal, sliciting a moan of pleasure deep from his chest.

Her nipples were hard and the sound and smell of her pleasure was driving Eric crazy. She was clutching his hair and shoulders desperately and returning his grinding with fervour. He'd also had enough of her clothes. He quickly divested her of her sweater and t-shirt, pulling them off her body. He also made quick work of her bra and tossed it behind him somewhere. Much better. She gasped as the cool air hit her body. Her nipples peaked instantly, Eric smiled. Her smooth back, breasts and stomach was unhindered to his touch. He could feel the slight raised edges of her still healing wounds, but pushed it to the back of his mind.

He let Sookie lick and kiss the cleft in his chin as he made a proposal, "How would you like a tour of my bedroom?"

"That sounds excellent," Sookie said, licking her lip. The next thing she felt there was the sharp brush of Eric's fangs and his arms securing her waist. Sookie tightened her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, pressing her soft breasts against his chest. Eric moaned as he lifted her off the counter and they were off.

Sookie was very vaguely aware of the stairs Eric took her up and the halls. It was hard to concentrate with the things he was doing with his mouth. She suspected Eric might be using his vampire speed. No matter, all she cared about was the room he opened with the massive sleigh bed made of dark wood with cranberry red sheets of Egyptian cotton. She didn't notice the matching wooden furniture or the soothing greyish green walls. Eric quickly turned on the lights and kicked the door shut, then lay her down in the sheets. His covers had still been thrown open from two days ago.

Eric stood back and took her in but Sookie grabbed the straps of his wifebeater and pulled him down to her. She ran her hands down his pectorals and abs before pulling the wifebeater off his body.

"Now we match," she said with a grin as she traced his golden happy trail right above the waist of his bulging jeans.

"Minx," he accused as he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them down her legs.

Sookie laughed as she sat up, taking in his perfect masculine body, the long lean muscle, trim waist, the dusting of golden hairs at his chest. It was no wonder women had fallen to his feet for over a thousand years. Smoothing her hands over his abdomen, Sookie then took care of his pants, making sure to give his painful bulge a squeeze, something that caused him to hiss. Finally releasing his erection as she pulled down his jeans and boxer briefs, Sookie stroked his gracious plenty. He was definitely the largest lover she had ever been with…and the most skilful, the best.

Eric gently pushed her down to her back and then smoothed his hands over her breasts and stomach, staring sexily into her eyes as he kissed her breast and slipped her panties off her legs.

Dangling her panties from one finger, he teased, "My, my you are so very wet, lover," before tossing them behind his head.

Sookie's gaze dropped as she said, "You look very hard yourself."

Eric laughed and placed a chaste kiss on her mouth, laying down on top of her and drinking in her body. He wanted to have her every night, all night.

Sookie felt incredibly self conscious under his gaze, especially with her still healing scars from the NLI, but Eric brushed the hair from her face and kissed her forehead, "You are always beautiful to me," he whispered earnestly and Sookie couldn't help but smile and feel beautiful. She could feel the purity of his emotions flowing from the bond and she could almost cry.

Eric kissed her under her eye, "No tears now," he said, staring at her intensely.

Sookie nodded and smiled up at him, licking the finger that traced her lip lazily.

Eric then kissed his way down her neck and chest to lavish attention to her breasts, kissing, licking, suckling, kneading at them and teasing her nipples as she gasped. His other hand stroked the sensitive areas of her sides and stomach, areas he remembered well to cause her pleasure from his recently restored memories.

His fingers then lingered lower until they tangled on the wet golden curls of her mound. She moaned loudly as he bit down her breast over her nipple, entering a long thick finger into her slit and stroking her with deadly accuracy.

"You are so wet," Eric told her and then brought his finger to his mouth to suck off her juices, "You taste even better."

She could taste herself on his tongue when he kissed her. Then he began to kiss and fondle her breasts again as he teased her folds with his finger and her clit with his thumb, all the while staring up at her from her breasts, watching the pleasure on her face with intensity. It was incredibly erotic and turned her on even more. His rhythm was just the pace to drive her mad. Eric was a boob guy, she thought and she definitely didn't mind. Especially not when her legs propped up on either side of her were shaking with pleasure.

Eric brought her even closer to the edge when he bit down on her breast with his fangs and tasted her blood, Sookie screamed at the sensation of pain and pleasure.

He let the bright red trail of blood trickle down her breast as he said, "Look at me, lover. I want to see the pleasure in your eyes."

When he was sure she was watching, he erotically licked the remaining blood off her breast and kissed his way to her mound. Staring into her eyes with an incredible lust, Sookie thought she could come right there until he began to lick her slit and tease her clit with his fingers. That was when Sookie felt herself come, throwing her head back and letting out a scream. She felt another orgasm shake her body as Eric bit into her femoral artery.

He kissed her cheek and stroked her back as she rode the shocks, then took her leg and wrapped it around his hip as he eased himself into her, burrowing in deep, staring into her eyes the entire time. She could feel the groan deep in his chest as his hard thick length was absorbed into her hot wet heat. Sookie moaned when she felt his entirety bury deep into her womb down to the hilt. It was the best part, feeling him close. He was so hard. She pulled her arms snugly across his back and kissed his chest and neck.

Eric placed a kiss on her lips and began to slowly rock against her. Sookie groaned at the friction she felt as Eric kept a hand on her thigh around his waist to direct the angle. She remembered his words the night she was so afraid of it all, 'This is best. This is right.' He had been so correct. She was sure of that now. This was something she wanted to hold onto forever, to feel all the time and to do more often than not, that feeling of absolute wholeness in his arms. She never wanted to forget this or be without it again.

Sookie could feel her emotions opening up to him and his arching into her. It was incredibly beautiful. It was like feeling his soul touch hers and mingle. She felt awash with the purity of emotions they felt for each other. The sincerity, filling up her heart with joy, happiness and light nearly bowled her over. It was so intense. She knew he could feel it too from the look in his eyes as he gazed down at her. She could see everything she felt reflected in his eyes. Yes, this was right.

She felt the steady pressure build in her again and raked her nails down his back and shoulders. She slid her hand down to squeeze her favourite part of his, causing Eric to growl in pleasure, understanding her implicitly. He picked up the pace to impale her with thundering thrusts, hitting her g-spot with deadly precision as his tongue imitated his gestures below in her mouth and his fingers pinched her nipples.

Sookie could hear nothing but the primal sounds of their love making, the groaning, the gasping, her soft screams, the slapping of their bodies and their mutual pleasure, it all brought her teetering closer to the ledge once more.

Eric loved the feel of her, she was so hot and tight and wet. Her soft mewls of pleasure, her nails raking against the skin of his back, the way she encouraged him harder, faster as she squeezed his ass, it was driving him closer to being undone. He loved seeing the lust and pleasure colour her eyes making them so vibrant and alive and feeling her soft, warm body against his, especially the fullness of her breasts rubbing against his chest.

At last he felt her walls clench tightly all around him, causing his seed to be milked right out of him as he reached is completion as well. He took the moment to bite her neck and lap the blood from there as he felt the pleasure of his orgasm and hers through their bond. He let out a growl and heard her scream. It was truly intense and mind blowing.

When he finished licking her clean, he took in the hazy look of pleasure on her face, her smile. He kissed her forehead. Reluctantly, he pulled out of her and rolled off her, settling her on his chest, rubbing her back as she snuggled into his neck. He felt the same peace with her as he had during their time in the restaurant earlier.

Sookie cuddled into him, feeling completely boneless and sated against him. She felt adored, cherished and the overwhelming need to tell him what she knew with complete clarity in her heart. The thing her grandfather had been right about all along. Hell, Pam and Amelia too. She suddenly felt a jolt of energy.

She kissed the dimple in Eric's chin and then raised herself up onto her arms on his chest. She let a hand toy with the hair around his face.

She bit her lip, "Eric," she said, "I need to tell you something."

Eric regarded her with curiosity, but let her speak.

"I love you," she whispered.

"I love you more than I ever thought was possible in loving someone," she confessed.

She watched a wide grin spread across his features and unadulterated joy spread across their bond. He kissed her cheek, her lips, her eyelids, her throat, before kissing, the spot behind her ear and whispering, "I appreciate you too."

Sookie froze.

Upon hearing his raucous laughter as his head thumped on his pillow, she knew that those words, that exchange, would be with them for all the rest of their years together as something special just between the two of them. It was a moment they would always have and a line that would be repeated like a joke but meant so much more to the two of them.

Eric then smiled earnestly at the horrified expression on her face and kissed her nose, he repeated the ancient words she had heard not two weeks ago and then, "I love you too." So that's what they had meant.

Then he kissed her thoroughly and decided to celebrate with her by entering her once more, with her on top this time and rocking them slowly to completion.

Eventually they took the party to the bathroom as Eric carried her into his shower. She had promised to wash him after all. Like all vampires, his bathroom was amazing. The marble countertops were dark granite with dark wood cabinets and a floor of large white tile, matching the stark white sink. A massive tub took up one wall of the bathroom. It looked absolutely luxurious. The walls were painted a pale blue and a pale spring green tile lined the shower. It was here Eric and Sookie were currently as they took the time to get dirty and clean at the same time.

As the water rained down on them from the special nozzles, Sookie had taken the time to repay Eric for earlier, sucking him off. She had quite enjoyed the look on his face as he threw his head back and came in her mouth. Right now Eric was seated on the tiled ledge within his shower and she was impaled on top of him again, straddling his thighs and he was bringing her off with his skilful fingers rubbing her clit as she thrust onto him.

Eric burned the memory of her wet body, her heaving slick breasts and the delicious pleasure on her face into his mind. He loved this shower all the more right now. Having enough of her slow torture, he wrapped her legs around his waist, stood up and rammed her against the tiled wall of the glass encased shower, making sure to protect her head. He pounded into her repeatedly with force and Sookie screamed in pleasure as they reached yet another orgasm together.

Eric then set her down carefully, and Sookie wrapped her arms around his back and buried her face into his chest as he washed her back and hair. Sookie returned the favour and when they were all clean, they towelled off and Eric carried her back into his bed.

Sookie was exhausted from her long day and for the first time in a long while, completely and truly happy. The man sitting beside her had a lot to do with it.

Eric explained the safety features of his room, it was only a few hours until dawn, but he could sense Sookie's exhaustion and he couldn't help but smirk because he had played a large part in it. The entire upper level and especially his room were locked down during the day. One could exit the room easily, but re-entry was difficult. She was informed of all the codes and safety procedures as she strained to stay awake. Eric wrote down all the codes for her, but told her to leave them in his room.

She was most pleased by the fact that his room was light tight and secure, so she could stay with Eric. It was clear that he spent most of his days sleeping in the room and going to his secret bolt holes on the property only when the situation called for it explicitly. The windows were a heavy black. The world outside could be seen, but no light would pass through. They were also thick and bulletproof. Eric also informed her that the entire room could be changed into a panic room by inputting the appropriate codes into a laptop he had on a small work station in the corner of his room. He could also monitor all the security footage on the property from that one laptop. He also had a fridge stocked with blood with a microwave on top as well as a few provisions for her he had stocked during the whole fairy crisis just in case. Sookie was touched. Apparently Eric's property had been powerfully warded as well by a powerful coven that had passed through some 50 years earlier as well.

Just as Eric was about to lock the door to his bedroom, there was a scratching at the door. Eric groaned and opened it, allowing in Xander who bounded into the room excitedly. He leaped up onto a couch Eric had in the room with much familiarity and settled in to sleep with the stuffed wolf in his mouth. Sookie took in the entire scene with amusement.

Eric sighed, "Don't be alarmed if he's not here in the morning, he knows how to use the secret passage in my closet to get out of the room. I'll show it to you tomorrow. You're very tired. I can tell."

"I blame you," Sookie said with a yawn.

"You can blame me for exhausting you completely anytime," Eric said, leering down at her buck naked.

He then settled under the sheets with Sookie, spooning her close to him, wrapping an arm over her shoulders. And for the second time in a long while, Sookie fell asleep holding the hand of the vampire she loved.

* * *

Yes, my favourite Lenny album is _Mama Said_. I saw him live in November, easily one of the best shows I've seen. It's tied between Children of Bodom and Lenny. Yes, my tastes do run the gamut lol. I thought the song just really suited the situations. Sookie and her Gran's values which sort of linger over everything she does, her running. The song is like all these things your mother told you to do, but you're going against them being a hell raiser and that riff is crazy awesome. And then when you hit that bass in it with Lenny's rhythm guitar, you kill. As you can tell from my avatar, I'm a huge Slash fan. The Guns N' Roses concert happened in 1992 and it was an international pay per view TV event. Steven Tyler and Joe Perry from Aerosmith also did a song with GN'R as well as Lenny. Axl had gotten Aero, Lenny as well as Jeff Beck, one of Slash's heroes to be there as sort of an appeasement for the discontent in the band at the time. Slash wasn't overly impressed with the situation though and Jeff Beck blew out his ears, so he couldn't play live with the band. You can find footage of Slash, Duff and the band playing "Locomotive" with Jeff Beck on youtube though and it fucking kicks ass.

Yes, the dog is named after Xander from Buffy. No, he's not named after Alex lol. That bit of Viking/Irish history is true. I'll have you know the Lexus ES looks really cool and that's the only reason for it's inclusion into my fic... ;) Carl is named after Carl Frederickson in Up.

One of my favourite shades of paint was called 'burnt umber.' I'm very fond of intense dark jewel tones in the cold colours and more earthy warm colours…so like yellow-oranges, golden yellows…I also love balancing hot and cold colours, using opposite colours. Umber was just a word that burst into my mind.

On Aisling…it's not only a name but an Irish poetic form which typically has a woman character who's commiserating the state of Ireland due to the British ruling it. It can metaphorically involve a woman being raped as Ireland was viewed as feminine and witchy, while Britain was seen as the masculine invader. That will sort of play into the fic. The Nobel Prize winning author, Seamus Heaney wrote a poem in _North_ called "Aisling" which was an interesting reversal of the traditional form. He made the goddess Diana/Artemis the Aisling character, but she is strong and able to deflect the advances of this guy that disrespected her. He basically got torn to shreds by his dogs after being turned into a stag…like in Greek mythology. And Artemis was always strong and independent. It also factors into the fact that Ireland was a place that could not be conquered really by anyone. They could conquer the land, but not the spirit of the people. I really loved reading that poetry collection lol and when I had to think up a name for this queen…it had to be Irish from what Claude and Claudine said *hint* lol.

This was sort of a hard chapter to get out because I'm just not overly driven to write shopping trips and the like for pretty much every chapter…you know, basic life stuff. I didn't get into my chapter until I inserted all the actual talk…then it just flowed. I can really sense that when I was editing…something about the beginning just feels slightly off. I don't know if I'm fully satisfied with this chapter, but at the same time, I want to get it out. I'm better with emotional angst, drama and especially action…It just feels like I'm not getting plot in. Then of course, I realize, yes, you are revealing stuff…like secret packages, how Eric came to Louisiana, Eric's spatial awareness to Sookie and Sookie reading vampires… Also, there's a LOT of subtle clues into Eric's past and hints of what's to come in this chapter. Little insignificant things that will become important later, or if not, just add to the fic as a whole.

Sookie's love confession and the 'I appreciate you, too' has been in my mind since before I wrote the prologue lol. I also kinda wanted to write the TALK without them saying 'I love you.' It was actually kind of hard not to have them say it to each other honestly until that point, or think it actually. I seriously considered ending this at page 17/18, but decided to press onwards towards the porn lol. I extended it by 12 pages in about 2 days or less.

Sookie will find out about what happened the night she was taken later, next chapter. It's going to be called Slither, after the song by Velvet Revolver. It's a song about rebirth…Anyways, I was in a mad rush at the end to finish this fic, since I'm on vacation from the 7th to the 18th. The porn was put in like as late as I could push it to have editing time, but it was pretty easy to write…so. But yes, I won't be able to write for awhile…

Of course, I also gotta pimp my site at bloodbonds(dot)wordpress(dot)com, I've put up the recap for episode 3. Since I'm on vacation, my recaps will be affected also, but I'll try to get the recap for episode 4 out by the Wednesday after I come home and do episode 5 on time.

I always LOVE hearing your feedback. And I hope you enjoyed the first sex scene I've ever wrote.

~simba_317


	5. Chapter Four: Slither

**Disclaimer:** If I were rich, I would own the Sookie Stackhouse novels and True Blood, then I would turn myself into Deborah Ann Woll so I could be that adorable and sit next to Alexander Skarsgard at Comic Con.

**Author's Notes:** I'm sorry for the delay, but before I wrote this chapter, I had to fulfill my recaps. I did two in like one week. It was a marathon for sure, with a one day break lol. It's incredibly nice not to be so full again lol. Go to bloodbonds(dot)wordpress(dot)com to check them out! There's a link in my profile as well. Also, before I started writing again, I felt the need to reread what I had written to fully get the feel of what I had written. I wanted to immerse myself in my world again and I couldn't do that without reading it. Just to let you all know, I've made some light edits to the previous three chapters and the prologue, mostly just spelling, grammar and word confusions that I missed the first time. Nothing big. So no worries. Although, I do make exception for Chapter 3. Something was really missing from the chapter, the emotion, the full landscape of it. I learned another difference between Canadian and American spelling, we like using two ls, not one in words like travelling, jewelled etc. If I had more time before my vacation got in the way, I would've been able to put that into it in my edits…but I wanted to give you all something. So, I have strengthened that side to it. Everything's still the same, there's just more oomph to it. I also decided to write my little oneshot…the idea sprang into me and I finished it over two nights. I do have an idea for another little thing for Somewhere in Between…but the idea hasn't been fully flushed out yet. On the other hand, my idea for the Summer of 69 Contest has…Look for that soon!

I need to give everyone a shout out for being patient and all the incredibly kind and wonderful comments I got. I really appreciated each and every one of them.

About Slither? I'm a huge Velvet Revolver fan. I saw them in 2007, it was killer. They're one of my favourite bands. I hated how the Scott thing went down so childishly on several sides…but what can you do? When I first heard the song in 04, they played VR so much I got sick of them, but I saw Come On, Come In one day on MuchMusic and fell in love with their sound. This is a song about rebirth, but still being tortured, the washing away of sins with someone, however it still burns. You can wash away your sins, but what you did is still there. 'Like holy water, it only burns you faster than you'd dry this time with me.' Washing away your sins is something upon the surface. Slither was first written slower than it is in its final conception, Slash gave the riff a more Indian feel to it. It makes one think of the 70s, Led Zeppelin…and the 70s will definitely play a part…lol. Remember when I said Aerosmith would play a part, way back when in Chapter Two? Well this is where the serendipity happens. This chapter is all about actions catching up with you.

**CHAPTER FOUR: SLITHER**

* * *

_**Dallas, Texas- July 1**__**st**__**, 1978**_

_Darkness wrapped around the pair like a dear old friend. Below them was an ocean of people that they would have lead to war if the times had been different. Their screams, shouts and movements all echoed the sounds of old. It was timeless. But the horde was not an army and they were not generals. At least not presently. _

_They watched the writhing below with mild interest, while perched on the platform of a lighting truss on top of the sound stage. It wasn't something they hadn't seen before. Nor was the massive man made stadium, the debauchery present or the band. Still, in the heat of the night air, the roar, the excitement, it was still something that was exhilarating. There was so little that was these days. It was a consequence of being ageless. _

_One figure was extremely tall and broad, fair haired and blue eyed. His companion was his opposite. She was short, small, slender and dark of hair and eyes. Together, they made a striking pair. He unmistakably Nordic and she unmistakably Asian. Both were pale with long hair, their complexions were accentuated by a slight glow in the darkness. _

_Her smile quirked as she watched the man's expression with her nearly pitch black eyes. "Reminiscing?" she asked. He was leaned over the railing of the platform, high above the crowd with a stunning view of the band. He wore a pair of jeans and a white t-shirt with black Chuck Taylors. _

_He raised an eyebrow at her, "I like Rocks," he said in reference to the album from which the song was from. _

"_You just like the song title," his companion accused, ""Lick and a Promise"? Come now, Eric." _

"_If you'd like to think that of me, go right ahead," he offered with a wide grin. _

"_I know you," she said returning his grin._

"_That you do," he returned, leering down at her with a wink. _

"_It's rather unfortunate that I do."_

"_But not unfortunate enough since you're wearing those?" he teased indicating to her black heeled platform sandals. She wore a flowing purple halter top with a pair of flared jeans. _

"_Unfortunately," she pouted. She was short dammit. _

"_Shame they won't tour Europe more," he said. _

"_At least they toured Europe," she snickered, "Poor you, those dreams behind your eyes of Viking parties are completely dashed. I heard that their entire European tour was a disaster." _

"_Europeans and Americans," he sighed. "You know you could see them if you went to Japan. They're bound to tour there again. Take up Jian on his proposition. You said you wanted a break from Pythia." _

"_Yes," she said non-commitedly. _

"_Koichi is no good at holding opposition, warfare. He's an economist and a good capitalist, not a fighter and a strategist. He is much better matched in Shanghai. A new place he can reinvigorate like Tokyo and manage for years to come. They want him there. They need him there. He could do a lot of good for our kind in Shanghai, take advantage Deng's policies."_

"_Yes, he would" she agreed. _

_Eric smiled at her, "You're a bit bored. You want Tokyo. I know you do. If only for the challenge and some bloodshed. Let's not forget Aerosmith's next tour." _

"_Yes and work with the Rising Dragon again. It would almost be like old times. Bring in Natalia as my second. Could be fun," she mused. _

"_Sing Lung and Sasha would come for Tokyo with you. You needn't ask them. They'll be in the compound the moment you enter, if they're not there already," he noted. _

"_So you're saying the decision was made for me when Jian offered?" she said with a whimsical grin. _

_He laughed. "Just like when Sophie Anne offered me Northern Louisiana. It's time for you to choose your cruise or a travel chest to get out of Vancouver. That's your choice," he said, referring to her travel options. _

"_I'd thought we'd gotten out of that game," she mused. _

"_It was always impossible anyway," Eric added, taking in the crowd, the band, the music. _

"_Hmm…and we never really wanted to," she agreed. _

"_No…" he sounded far away as he watched the 150, 000 people below dance. _

"_You want change in your life and this is your perfect opportunity…" Eric started, but his voice stopped sharply as soon as he felt her white hand clutch his arm tightly, digging into his skin. _

_His eyes dashed to hers, finding them clouded like black pearls. They pierced his eyes with fierce intensity. Her voice became low, whispery and seductive, yet powerful, changing notes from major to minor keys, "She comes to you in the dark, marked in white and fair. She will consume you. You will fall. You shall suffer, but ultimately win. A great loss before a greater gain will come to pass at a time of great disaster." _

"_I should get a taste of Joe Perry," she said with a wide grin. As quickly as her demeanour had taken over, it left just as swiftly when her eyes snapped back to their normal inky sable brown. _

_Eric looked at her, his eyes wide in shock, understanding exactly the profoundness of what had happened. _

"_Did I…?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Strange. First time in about 50 years. I almost thought I'd lost it. Pythia will be undoubtedly pleased," she muttered, staring off into the distance as if trying to retrieve the cause of her words. _

"_What does she look like?" Eric asked, not unfamiliar with the clouding of her eyes or the tone of her voice that followed with a vision. _

"_Blonde hair, blue eyes," she said, biting her lip as she fished for the scene, "She wore a white dress. Red pattern on it. Flowers maybe?" _

"_Hmm…" Eric looked deep in thought as he resumed watching the band perform. The songs had switched several times since their conversation began. The bass was thrumming the familiar passage to "Sweet Emotion." _

"_You know Joe Perry is pussy whipped, right?" Eric asked all of a sudden with a smirk. _

"_Bummer. Maybe I ought to fix that," she replied with a wink and a mischievous grin. _

_Eric's laughter rumbled deep into the night, drowned out by the noise of the crowd, the amplifiers, drums, PA system and the demon of screamin'. _

* * *

The sleep eased from her body gently and gradually. She knew she should be alarmed when she didn't recognize her surroundings, but she wasn't. Fog surrounded her, but it was comforting and warm. She stretched her slightly cramped back and her body brushed against his. Mmm, Eric.

Her body ached from injury, but mostly from sex. It was deliciously delightful.

She opened her eyes to find herself cuddled against Eric's chest, with her head tucked into his shoulder, still as naked as he was. His light stubble upon his chin tickled her nose. She was on her side and his arm was wrapped around her waist. Sookie smiled when she found that his other hand still held hers on his chest. One of his legs was possessively thrown over hers. It was a great thing to wake up to, held in his arms, feeling his love, something she wished she had gone to all along.

Upon feeling an extra weight at the bed, Sookie peered at her feet to find Xander sleeping at the foot of the bed, with the stuffed wolf in his mouth. She giggled. She wondered what Eric would say if he knew. Of course, he could probably smell Xander on his bed.

She allowed herself some time to doze, but she knew she couldn't spend the entire day in bed. At last, Sookie rose onto her arms, "Good morning, Eric," she whispered as she kissed his cheek and brushed a stray hair from his brow. He was untouched in his sleep by the troubles of the world, serene and beautiful.

Then, she reluctantly removed Eric's limbs from her body and stepped out of bed. Before going to the bathroom, she tucked the red blankets back around Eric. Glancing at the antique clock on the table, the one that looked like it might need to be wound up, Sookie found it to be past noon. She huffed, she had certainly had a long day and an even longer night thanks to Eric, she thought with a grin. Eric had thoughtfully left the light on in the bathroom, so the numbers on the clock were visible in the darkness of the room.

Eric's bathroom was through his large walk-in closet. The entire closet was furnished with the same matching dark wood and painted a warm cream tone. One side was filled with his many different suits and shirts. In between the row of shirts and pants that were hung up were drawers that Sookie was sure was filled with his belts and ties. There was even a rack for shoes ranging from casual to high end and a place for many of his jackets, hoodies and sweaters. His jeans were neatly stacked on a shelf. She noticed that there was a large empty space that must have been cleared for her.

In the bathroom, Sookie took care of her human needs and took a short soak in the massive bathtub to relax her aching muscles. She was met with surprise when Xander plodded into the bathroom and used to toilet to urinate in. He even flushed. Sookie wondered briefly how Eric had managed that, but brushed it off. She then heard Xander off in the kitchenette gulping down some dog food and slurping some water. Eric had obviously left him some food before he slept for the day.

After her soak, Sookie dried off with one of Eric's big fluffy white towels and secured it around her body to brush her teeth, wash her face, brush her hair and put on some moisturizer.

When she entered the bedroom to see about her clothing situation, she found that the clothes that she wore the night before were neatly folded on the ottoman at the foot of Eric's bed, even the clothes that had been removed in the kitchen the night before. He went as far as to lay out an outfit for her, including some scandalous lingerie he had smuggled when she wasn't looking at the store and a note on a heavy white card.

All the note read was, 'For me?' in Eric's elegant script. On the back it read, 'I look forward to seeing you as I rise.' Sookie rolled her eyes, but decided to humour him. She put on the bra with its sheer, blood red lace, delicate detailing and satin straps along with the tiny matching thong. Even with her healing scars, she had to admit she felt undeniably sexy in it. Not that she'd let Eric know, of course. Next, she pulled on the pair of dark indigo flared jeans and a black capped sleeve t-shirt, topping it off with the soft, long and loose, off the shoulder white sweater with the slight bell sleeves.

With her hunger overriding her need to put away her recent purchases, Sookie decided to go downstairs for some breakfast and to call Amelia. Xander plodded after her and followed her down to the kitchen. Sookie made sure to secure Eric in his room before she went down the stairs.

Now that it was daylight, she could more easily admire Eric's home. It was open, airy and comfortable. The halls were wide and decorated with interesting art. When she entered the kitchen, her body flushed at the thought of what the two of them had started in the room. However, her eyes almost popped out of her sockets when she noticed that the bra she wore yesterday was dangling from one of the cabinets. _That jerk!_

Sookie hastily shoved the bra into said cabinet, making a vow to bring it back upstairs later. She wasn't going through the hassle of entering the room and then locking Eric back into his super bolt hole just for the bra.

Just as she breathed a sigh of relief, a voice shocked her out of her relative calm, "Hello dear, you must be the Sookie I have heard so much about."

Sookie turned to find an elderly woman radiating warmth and excitement and every bit as whip sharp and healthy as her Gran had been.

"Nothing bad I hope?" Sookie said meekly.

"Oh, a broken door here, a wall to be filled there, some storming and huffing. I assure you only good, honey," she said wickedly. Sookie couldn't help but laugh.

"Where are my manners?" the woman said shaking her head, "I'm Eleanor Fredrickson, but you can call me Ellie. I make sure the dust bunnies don't burrow too deeply under the couches. Vampires, well men," she amended in a conspiratory fashion, "don't care much about them." Sookie laughed. "Pam takes care of those bunnies in Eric's private quarters and I do the rest."

Sookie shook her hand, "Sookie Stackhouse."

Xander barked between the two of them, trying to get attention.

"Oh, looks like somebody's hungry!" Ellie said, looking down at the beast wagging his tail and manically and lolling his tongue.

"I can do that," Sookie said, having seen where Eric kept his bowls and the food from the night before.

"Alright, sweetheart. I'll just be exterminating those burrowing dust bunnies in the den and shaking out those old rugs. Come out to the cottage if you need anything. I'd love a visit. So would Carl," she said as she rustled down the hall.

Sookie made Xander his second breakfast and then quickly made herself some coffee, toast and a fried egg and as she munched on her meal, she called Amelia with the cordless phone in the kitchen.

To her chagrin, Amelia picked up the first ring saying, "Good afternoon, Sleeping Beauty. Is that breakfast I hear?"

"Yes, Amelia," Sookie replied with a groan.

"I knew it! Shreveport. Lunch. Be there!" Amelia practically squealed.

"I can't believe you haven't eaten lunch already. We both know you're an early bird."

"I figured I should sleep in once I got the text from Lover Boy that you were safe and not coming home," Amelia said saucily.

"Think you could bring my purse, Niall's concoction and an overnight bag for me when you come?" Sookie asked.

"An overnight bag, huh?" Amelia intoned.

"Yes," Sookie squeaked. Amelia was a shark who had scented blood.

Amelia snickered sounding rather witchy, "How do you feel about Thai?"

* * *

It was 2pm when Sookie found herself entering a restaurant called Thai Gardens. Amelia was sitting all prim and proper in a corner booth in the nearly deserted room, staring at her like prey over her menu with her naughty grin.

"Nice looking Lexus," Amelia commented tartly, raising her eyebrows as Sookie approached the booth.

"Not as nice as his '72 Trans Am," Sookie returned and before Amelia could question further, "BMW X5 and two motorcycles, plus an ATV. One's a Harley, the other's Italian, Ducati, I think?"

"Classy. Think you'll be getting intimate with that Trans Am anytime soon?" Amelia teased.

"Maybe when we get bored and move out of his bedroom…and his bathroom," Sookie replied with a flush of her cheeks. Eric definitely had no qualms about screwing on top of a car and Amnesia Eric had no qualms about screwing anywhere.

"That's what the overnight bag is for, sweetie," Amelia said, smiling as she stood up and gave Sookie a tight hug.

"You look good," Amelia said as she released Sookie from her embrace and took in her outfit.

Sookie shrugged, slightly embarrassed, "Eric insisted on buying me a wardrobe as a housewarming gift."

"We'll talk about that later," Amelia winked as they took their seats. She slid Sookie her purse. "Dermot didn't hurt you did he? Eric's message was vague and to the point. 'She is safe. I am taking her with me.' And then I got the super secret phone number."

"No, he just hogtied me, kidnapped me and held me captive in some old warehouse in Monroe. I cut myself free and escaped. Eric stormed in at the same time and took care of Dermot," Sookie explained.

"He's dead then?" Amelia asked. Sookie confirmed with a nod.

"Good, good," Amelia said quietly. She had to admit that she felt relief that he was gone. More than once she had realized she chose her life over being a good Christian, but some people just deserved what they got and she couldn't apologize for that.

Sweeping her gaze around the dining room swiftly, Amelia then pulled out a small vial containing a portion of Niall's concoction, "Drink it before anyone sees," she advised, "The rest is in your bag in the trunk."

Sookie ducked her head and gulped it down quickly, moments before a waiter asked them for drinks. Both Sookie and Amelia decided on a mango smoothie beverage. Like the day before, the affects of the concoction hit her quickly. It did wonders to the post sex aches and pains. She was a little out of practice after all and Eric was no slouch of a lover. She would miss the concoction when it was gone just for that.

"So what's good here?" Sookie asked after washing down the concoction with some water.

"The Panang Curry. I'm definitely trying their Yellow Curry this time though," Amelia suggested. When the waiter returned with their drinks, Sookie ordered the Panang Curry and Amelia the Yellow Curry.

"So, overnight bag, a new wardrobe and rolling in on his Lexus…things seem to have…shifted," Amelia

"Yes," Sookie admitted, "it has. A lot."

So much had shifted in an incredibly short amount of time. Her life had certainly been through an upheaval and taken a most unexpected turn. It was unlike anything she had ever experienced before, not even when Bill came into her life had her existence been so fundamentally changed. She had remained pretty much the same person up until about two weeks ago. She wondered about herself now and who she really was. She was capable of more than she ever thought possible. She had killed and murdered and condoned the murder of others. She wondered if she was a good person. She wondered if that even mattered anymore. The world of the vampires had taught her that good was loose and very relative. She wondered if she had become a sociopath. She didn't know what she believed anymore.

Sookie couldn't help but smile at Amelia's impatient face, "I told him I love him…He loves me too." It felt wonderful to say out loud, like a dove being freed from a cage.

Amelia reached over across the table and put her hand over Sookie's, smiling, yet looking teary eyed, "I'm happy for you. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, Amelia," Sookie replied, "Don't make me cry too." When she thought of Eric, the emotion almost overwhelmed her.

"So are your living arrangements permanent?" Amelia pressed, nosily.

Sookie sighed, "I don't know. I'll be over there at least until the house is fixed. I promised that much. I guess it's my dry run of things. I guess we'll wait to see what happens after. If you're thinking of kicking me out, you have no such luck! I'll still be coming by every now and then."

Amelia smiled, "That sounds good." It was really nice to have her friend back, Sookie thought. They had been walking on eggshells for the past week, not really talking to each other and to finally be able to have their relationship relatively back to normal was a great relief. Sookie was tired of losing people.

"What about you, Amelia? I wouldn't begrudge you, if you wanted to leave. I mean you might be pregnant and with everything that happened…" Sookie stopped biting her lip nervously.

"You can't kick me out that easily, Stackhouse!" Amelia exclaimed and then quieter, "I've been thinking about this a lot, lately. I can't go back to New Orleans. Everything that made me happy is here. I can still manage my apartments from up here, anyway. There are more good memories than bad."

"Besides," Amelia whispered, tearing up, "I'd rather have Tray's baby know where his or her dad was from and where daddy met mommy. That is, if you'd have me."

Sookie scooted out of her side of the booth and slid into Amelia's, pulling her friend into a hug, "Oh Amelia, of course I would!"

"Congratulations on the baby," Sookie whispered. The words felt strange on her tongue, seemed like poor form to say.

Patting Sookie's hand, Amelia said, "Thanks. God, I'm such a mess right now."

Sookie brushed some of Amelia's hair out of her eyes, "It's okay, so am I." Her life was rearranged and everything was tossed on the floor and unorganized.

Amelia let out a choked chuckle, "I feel like I'm being overwhelmed right now. Tray's gone. I'm having his baby, I'm really having his baby and he'll never see it. Apparently, your boyfriend can sniff out pregnancy. He also told me that I'm descended from a line of witches who pledged themselves to the Kingdom of Night or whatever and I don't even know what the hell that means. I learn why the hell I put out that fire and I have something to go on, only to find it's fucking deep shit secret, Sookie."

Sookie pulled back slightly in order to see Amelia's face, "What do you mean?" Sookie felt stunned. How could Eric know this? What was going on?

"I mean that I called Octavia with this information and she got real quiet and I mean quiet. She said it was a myth. She wouldn't tell me anything until I told her about Eric's little ceremony and the only thing she could tell me was that it was an ancient and very powerful civilization of organized vampires. It's all she knows. She tells me that Louis may know more, but not much. It's like one of the biggest vampire secrets ever. I've spent all evening yesterday and part of this morning looking for any clues about it and finding nothing! And Vamp Boy is deep in it!" Amelia replied almost hysterically.

"Eric did a ceremony? What do you mean he's in it?" Sookie questioned liltingly. She hated the way her voice sounded, so panicked. She wondered how well you could know someone who was over a thousand years old. Was it even possible? There was so much Eric would never be able to share with her. His life was just too long, too lived. Here she was, plain, mortal, a barmaid, what did he see in her? Every fear that had been erased just hours previous shot back into her veins with tremendous force.

"He pricked my finger with a knife and dripped the blood onto a bowl, then he did the same to his. As soon as his blood touched mine, it was like it became magnetized. By the time everything settled after swirling like paint, it became a symbol, an Amaranth. The only way that could have happened is because Eric was in it too. He was pledged to that kingdom."

"Is this good or bad?" Sookie wondered out loud.

"I don't know. I guess I'm going to have to corral your BF and ask him about this stuff," Amelia murmured, "This had better not be fucking hormones!"

Sookie laughed, then sighed, "I think my list is longer." She had so much she needed to know from Eric. It was strange. She felt like she knew all of Eric, but she really didn't know all that much about him at all. How was that even possible? She knew he was capable of great violence, maybe even cruelty, but she also knew he was a good person, fair and noble. Maybe it was the heart she should trust. She didn't know.

"Undoubtedly."

"Have you thought about going to the doctor's and finding an obstetrician?" Sookie asked, "It might be better to look for one in Shreveport, even with the drive."

"No, not yet. I know I should. I've been avoiding coffee, but with everything that's been going on…I'll definitely be making some calls in the afternoon or tomorrow morning. Start fresh. I haven't even taken a proper pregnancy test!"

"You want me to be there?" Sookie asked, rubbing Amelia's palm. The thought of a pregnancy test put a small pang in her heart. It was something she would never do, not with Eric anyway. Although she had to admit that the thought relieved her a little. After all she had seen, so many pregnant women being killed, after the NLI, Dermot, she couldn't imagine placing a child in the world.

"No, I think I'll be fine, it's just ceremony at this point. I've missed two periods, my breasts are sore as a bitch and I've been heaving out breakfast like nobody's business. I trust Vamp Boy's nose."

"God…so much has changed," Amelia sighed, "What are you going to do about Merlotte's and Sam? It's hardly practical to drive from Shreveport for work every day."

"Shit," Sookie ran her hands over her face, "I didn't even think of that with all the Eric stuff going on. I honestly don't know."

"You know what I think?" Amelia said looking up at Sookie.

"What?"

"Quit," Amelia said simply.

"Amelia! I can't just leave Sam like that without-"

Amelia held up her hand, "Hear me out."

Sookie nodded reluctantly.

"You've said that you don't know who you are anymore, that you're not sure you fit in your old life anymore. Well, you've got to sort that out and I don't think you can do that sticking to your old habits, your old ways. You need to move forward," Amelia began.

"Look, you have to have more ambitions than just being a waitress for the rest of your life. I mean, when you were little, was this what you imagined yourself doing? Being a waitress?" Amelia continued.

Sookie had to admit that Amelia had a point.

Amelia glared at Sookie when she opened her mouth. "I know you're good at it, but you're selling yourself short if you think that's all you're good at. You could do so much more. You could do so much better. I know you said telepathy was a hindrance to you getting a secondary education, but you could do it now. You're better trained with your telepathy, more controlled. You can manage it. You've got options now. Community colleges with smaller class sizes, night school. Hell, you could even do your courses online! You know Eric would support your decision if you chose to go."

"Face it Sookie, are you staying at Merlotte's simply out of loyalty to Sam and because it's easy, or do you really wanna be there?"

Sookie blinked uncomfortably. Had she really been denying her potential because of her telepathy? Could she really rectify that?

"Look, you don't have to make a decision now," Amelia advised, "Just think on what I said okay? You can take the time you have now to just take a break and think about what you really wanna do."

Sookie nodded, "Okay."

It was then that the waiter brought over their orders. He left shaking his head, upon seeing the tears, seat changing and hearing the laughing. Lunch crowds and women.

As they dug in, Amelia smiled wickedly, "So I've heard about the sweet rides. Tell me about his pad!"

Sookie grinned. Everybody needed a friend like Amelia.

* * *

By the time they had paid their bill and exited the restaurant, over an hour and a half had passed. Sookie would've headed back to Eric's home right away, after all, she did have clothes to pack away, but Amelia insisted that they look at some of the shops nearby. In the end, Amelia had convinced her to buy a very beautiful pale green teapot at a teashop along with some various teas. Amelia herself had gone crazy at an arts and crafts store that specialized in jewellery making. Therefore, it was around 4:30pm before Sookie could load up the bag Amelia had packed for her into the trunk of the Lexus ES and she was feeling quite anxious. Anxious at Eric waking up without her present, he would worry. Anxious at not being able to drive herself back to his home, it was rather difficult to remember all the hidden roads in the countryside. Anxious at how he would answer her questions. And just plain anxious. She would scream, if there weren't so many cars in the strip mall.

Sookie took a deep breath. She had Eric's cell phone number now. If she got lost, she'd just phone him. She was just cutting it close to when he would wake up. Although Eric would probably want to 'punish' her for not being there when he woke up and he'd never let her live down the fact that she got lost. It was the latter which was more pertinent to her. She would quite enjoy any 'punishment' Eric could dole out to her.

She was broken out of her thoughts by Amelia, "I know what you're thinking about. Now go home to Lover Boy!" she said pushing her towards Eric's Lexus.

Sookie rolled her eyes, "See you, Amelia." She began walking to the car, balancing her overnight bag with her new tea set. She couldn't wait to get into the car. It was rather chilly out.

When she had secured her things in the trunk, Sookie heard a car stop behind her, an electric window lower and Amelia's voice once again, "So is this gonna be Round 2 or Round 10?"

Sookie flipped Amelia the bird and walked to the driver's door without looking back. She could hear Amelia cackling as she drove off to Bon Temps.

By the time she entered the house, it was about ten minutes past five. She probed the bond between her and Eric and smiled when she found him still asleep. Maybe he was sleeping in like she did. The thought made her smile.

Taking the tea set to the kitchen, she put the teapot and cups in the dishwasher and turned it on. It needed to be washed before use. She disposed of the box in Eric's recycling bin under the sink. It was not surprising to find it mostly full of bottles of True Blood. Xander followed her incessantly until she understood that he was hungry again. She refilled his bowls and smiled as he wolfed down everything with almost vampire speed before running off somewhere else in the house.

Remembering to retrieve her bra, she hustled up to Eric's room, excited to see him. She had a lot to think about, a long to ponder on, but one thing she didn't have to for now was her feelings for Eric and hers for him. That was simple and easy, something constant she hoped she could come to rely on.

She was surprised to find that Eric had removed all the tags from her new clothes, refolded them and organized them into type so that all she needed to do was decide where she wanted to put them. She found a note explaining that there was space in his closet and dresser.

Sookie hung up anything that needed to in Eric's closet and put her t-shirts, lounge wear, socks and underwear in the corresponding matching row to Eric's in his dresser. It was apparent that Eric was a creature of comfort from the wear of his dark wooden dresser. Two drawers were stuffed with his t-shirts and tank tops, everything from basic tees, to Fangtasia shirts, graphic tees to ones with scandalous images and sayings. The same could be said of his underwear and sock drawer. It made Sookie smile, even though she felt sort of bad snooping in his drawers.

By the time Sookie had put away her last items of clothing, it was past 5:30pm and Eric had still not stirred. There was no evidence contrary to that through their bond either. Eric Northman really was sleeping in. It was rather adorable.

Deciding that it was rather ludicrous for Eric to be in such a big bed all by himself, Sookie pulled up the blankets and snuggled up to the cool Viking after taking a good, long and sneaky look at his naked body. She buried her face into his neck and wrapped her arms around his chest and shoulders, throwing her leg over his hip. Still, Eric remained unmoved and instead of being anxious waiting for him to wake up, Sookie was now just plain old impatient.

She wanted his companionship. She wanted to ask him questions. And she just really wanted him too.

Sookie began placing open mouthed kisses along his neck, making sure to bite. It was then she felt his cheek twitch.

Propping herself up her arms atop of his chest, Sookie took in the quirked lip forming a smirk and the hazy blue eyes, newly opened and gazing up at her. It made her smile as he slid his arms around her waist.

"Good evening, lover," he said heavily, gazing up at her.

Before Sookie could reply, Eric had smothered her words with his darting mouth, pliantly caressing her lips and mouth with his. Sookie responded eagerly, burying her fingers in his hair and stroking his arm. Eric's hands wandered her body, igniting a burning warmth inside her. Sitting up, Eric pulled her legs to straddle his waist and rubbed her denim encased mound over his half masted arousal. They both relished the friction.

Sookie's eyes fluttered as Eric's lips meandered to her jaw and throat. She could feel the slight scrape of his fangs along her neck as she threw her head back in pleasure. He was hungry, in more ways than one she thought as she ground her herself against his lower body.

"Mmm…I missed you during the day," she said breathlessly as he licked the spot between her clavicles.

His eyes snapped to hers heated with lust. Before she could think, his lips were at her ear and his tongue was tracing the lobe.

"And you, dear one, are wearing far too many clothes for my liking," he whispered.

Eric's fingers slipped under the hem of her sweater and pulled it off her body, making sure to cop a feel on the way up. Sookie's eyebrow quirked, but Eric merely smiled. Before Eric could undress her further, Sookie pushed him back onto the bed. Eric merely smiled up at her as he landed with a thumping noise on the sheets, licking his lips.

Sookie crossed her arms and lifted her tee shirt off her body and tossed it behind her. She watched delighted as Eric's pupils dilated at the sight of her breasts encased in the completely sheer blood red lace of her bra. A finger of his slipped into her jeans and hooked up the strap of the matching thong up past the line of her jeans.

His grin widened, "You look positively delectable, lover." He loved seeing her aroused pink nipples with their thick areolas through the sheer fabric and her generous bosom, enough for even one of his handfuls. He loved the way her body looked against the cranberry red of his sheets. He loved the arousal in her eyes and the sent of it from her pussy. She would taste even better.

Eric's hands smoothed over her hips, her stomach, her ribs before palming her breasts and squeezing, "Tell me, lover," he growled out as his fingers pinched her nipples through the flimsy fabric, "Do you like them?"

"Yeessss," Sookie hissed in pleasure. She brought her hands to his and aided in his touch before pushing his hands off her breasts and stepping off the bed.

Eric's gaze followed her hungrily as she walked away from him all the while staring into his eyes over her shoulder and throwing him the sexiest smirk. She reached under her jeans and hitched the second strap of her thong over the line of her jeans. Sensually, she spun and twirled a few times for him before popping the button of her jeans for him and sliding down the zipper. Teasing him with a glimpse of her golden curled mound surrounded by the same sheer lace, she turned once more, but threw a wink over her shoulder at Eric.

His eyes were positively predatory as he licked his lips. She watched enthralled as he absentmindedly ran his tongue against his sharp fang, causing a drop to fall onto his chest and drip over his nipple invitingly. Mmm, she'd take care of that later. Currently, she shimmied out of her jeans and revelled in Eric's throaty moan as he saw her perky bare ass and full hips.

Turning once more, she slowly stalked back to the bed and climbed on top of him.

"I guess you like them too?" she said with a grin and blazing lust in her eyes.

Eric let out a short laugh, "Very much so, my vixen." With that, Sookie straddled him once more and began kissing his neck and shoulders, moving down to his chest. Eric's arms crossed under his head as he smiled blissfully and took in her attentions to his body. Using her tongue, Sookie licked the blood off his pectoral and nipple, sucking gently. Knowing what he liked, she bit his nipple hard as well, eliciting a moan from Eric. She pinched and rolled his other nipple with her fingers.

Through the thin and skimpy material of her thong covering her mound, she could feel Eric grow all the harder beneath her. It spurred her on, Sookie trailed hot, wet kisses down Eric's toned washboard abdominals before licking his golden happy trail down to his now fully hard and very erect member.

Tangling her fingers through his public hair and massaging his balls, Sookie licked up the underside of his penis before taking him with her mouth, sucking hard and twirling her tongue over the tip. She made sure to stare into his eyes as she did this. Running her tongue over his slit, she tasted his precum. Eric's hand began massaging her scalp as she sucked him off, urging her on. He was groaning and his body was writhing in pleasure.

When he let out a particularly animalistic sound, his eyes caught hers dangerously and he pushed her up against the foot of the bed to rest her upper body on the footboard of the massive sleigh bed. Her eyes were clouded with lust, her pupils dilated. Her breasts were heaving and her breathing was heavy. Her legs were spread and bent at the knee, propped up on the bed revealing that her juices had soaked through her thong and were trailing down her inner thigh, just over her pulsating femoral artery. Delicious.

Eric licked her thigh clean, his fang scraping against her artery causing her to moan. "You taste so fucking sweet." She growled deliciously as he palmed her mound and then ran his finger over her slit and swollen clit. The fabric provided just enough friction. He looked into her eyes hungrily just before he slid her thong off her legs.

Her scent was intoxicating and her golden curls glistened invitingly with her juices. His tongue was on her before he could stop himself, sucking hard on her clit, then moving on to impale her folds with her tongue. Returning to sucking and teasing her nub, he then brought his fingers to thrust into her folds, brushing her g-spot, but purposely teasing her. He smiled when he heard her whimper, but what he really wanted to do was bury his cock deep in her womb and fuck her hard.

He removed his finger from inside her and offered it to her mouth. She accepted graciously and sucked his finger all the way down to the digit, swirling her tongue along the way. Eric then kissed her passionately as his hands wrapped around her and removed her bra, rendering her completely naked. He pinched, licked and sucked her naked breasts, loving the sound of her pleasure, before he pushed her onto her hands and knees.

Eric took one last lick at her slit, before he thrust into her with force, filling her all the way to his hilt. He took her jiggling breasts in his hands and twisted her nipples before he began slamming into her hard and rough from behind, placing wet, skin scraping kisses on her back, shoulders and neck. Sookie's screams echoed around his bed chamber along with his grunts, growls and the slapping and slamming of his balls against her.

When he slammed into her g-spot and heard her throaty scream and the word "Fuck!" fly from her mouth, he knew she was close and he wanted to watch her face as she came for him. Without warning, he pulled out of her. Sookie let out a choked sob at the loss, but smiled as she was pushed onto her back on Eric's sheets.

Hooking her leg bent around his shoulder, Eric reentered her folds and pounded into her like a freight train. He was rewarded with her cry of "Eric!" lilting and free. The friction extended as he made sure to hit her g-spot and rub his dick along her taut bundle of nerves. His chest rubbed against her nipples with each thrust and he was sure they would be very tender later on.

Sookie's fingernails raked roughly down his back, drawing beads of blood. She kissed his mouth roughly and wildly as her hand lingered and squeezed his ass, her favourite part, before finding his balls and kneading them. Spurred on, Eric growled in her mouth and thrust harder, faster. Sookie's scream was chocked in Eric's mouth.

Suddenly, he threw his head back and let out a roar. His dick was pulsing. He was so fucking close and her were walls were so damn tight and slick and clenching even tighter down on him. Fuck.

"Look at my eyes, Sookie! I want to see your eyes as we come," Eric shouted hoarsely.

With that, Sookie screamed and Eric felt her pleasure through the bond as her orgasm ripped through her body. Her fingers clenched on his biceps, marking them red. He himself followed with s strangled yell. Eric felt pain near between his neck and shoulder as she bit him roughly as her womb was milking him of his cum. Eric's fangs pierced her neck, just as she crested and began to ride her golden wave, drawing her blood from her throat.

Surprise coursed through Eric's body as he felt Sookie's teeth break the skin between his shoulder and neck. It increased further as he merely felt her easy acceptance and even joy of his blood flowing onto her tongue.

Eric released her leg and reluctantly disengaged himself from within her. However, he remained braced above her on either side of her body.

"Mmm…That was amazing," she whispered as she laid her head back on the pillows. Her lips were stained heavily with his blood. Before her tongue could lick it away, Eric placed a heavy kiss on her lips.

Regarding her curiously, the gears in Eric's mind shifted at her unforeseen actions.

Her brow quirked, observing the look in his eyes. "What is it?" she asked stroking his cheek.

"We've had another blood exchange," Eric said slowly.

"Oh," she said blinking lazily, "oh." She had been caught up in the moment, the feelings. Now everything else caught up to her and it wasn't a feeling she liked. She felt out of control.

He propped himself on his side so he could see her face, his hand running lazy circles on the curve of her hip.

"We are bound too tightly, you and I," his expression was sad, almost baleful. It put fear in her.

He took his thumb and ran it over her wrist, drawing Sookie's attention. There, lying faint and pink was an elaborate mark, swirling like ivy. It looked ancient and the flowered representation was not one she knew.

"It's an Amaranth, it will disappear shortly," Eric said quietly, "I have much to tell you."

"No kidding," Sookie said, creasing her brows, trying not to sound accusatory. "Amelia said…"

"The mark is similar, yes," Eric replied.

"I have much to tell you, about us vampires and the night I could not come to you," he said gently, running his fingers through her hair, brushing the tousled locks away from her face.

Sookie nodded as Eric's voice took on a plaintive aura.

"Many things have been kept from you, by Niall and me. The time has come that our pasts must be revealed to you," Eric began. She didn't like the connotations of his words.

"One of the very first vampires of noteworthy memory consisted of two brothers, Sigurd and Gunnar. They prospered just at the time when we vampires were beginning to organize thousands of years ago. While many of us were formed into clanlike nests, Sigurd and Gunnar's was the most powerful. Soon their territories spread and expanded and they grew to control a kingdom, our first, the Kingdom of Blood. With the vampire use of glamour and persuasion, they grew to control many towns and cities behind the scenes, growing rich."

"Something tells me it doesn't end well," Sookie murmured.

Eric smiled humourlessly, "It doesn't."

"They had always ruled jointly and always reached consensus except for one thing. Sigurd was hunting in the woods one evening and had delighted in the blood of the travellers he befell, when he scented the most delicious smell in the air. Sigurd's vampire gift was swiftness with absolute silence, so when he found the fairy Aisling bathing in a lake, she was unaware to her presence."

"Needless to say, Aisling was less than amused to discover Sigurd's presence and the violation of her chastity. Aisling desired to kill him painfully and Sigurd desired to devour her whole. In between the hunting down, tracking, fighting and battling was a deep attraction to each other and later love."

"I can relate to that," Sookie said with a smile, cuddling closer to Eric.

He smiled in return, stroking her arm, "I thought you might." He was somewhat surprised at how he had come to relate to Sigurd.

"Upon discovering his brother cavorting with a fairy, Gunnar was livid. He urged Sigurd to cease his treachery, but Sigurd refused. He loved Aisling completely. So Gunnar was given no choice but to punish Sigurd for his seditious acts with the enemy. Aisling saved him, but not without consequence. She was discovered by her grandfather, the high emperor of all fairies. She spurned them for Sigurd and his love."

"Sigurd left the Kingdom of Blood with Aisling. Gunnar never forgave him for that. He saw it as a betrayal of their blood, their kinship and their oath as brothers. For that, he swore Sigurd's destruction. Sigurd was not without his own followers. Whereas Gunnar was cunning and devious, Sigurd was charismatic and charming. They broke off from Gunnar and established the Kingdom of Night. Instead of one powerful kingdom, there were now two. Lesser kingdoms swore allegiance to either the Night or Blood."

Sookie thought it sounded rather like the Cold War and told Eric as much. Eric merely grinned, "We actually fought each other."

"As you can imagine, it was a fierce rivalry and the two kingdoms were always at war. My maker Appius was turned by one of the Blood, but Sigurd saved his life and he was forced into the service of the Night. Sigurd needed Appius and his military knowledge, but they did not agree on much. It was on one of their arguments and disagreements that Appius decided to wander. Wandering is when a vampire under the allegiance of a kingdom walks free and roams. This is when he made me. I and his other children were forced into his service and his nest for about a century after I was made until Sigurd called him back because of war."

"As you can imagine, Appius had acquired a large nest of strong, capable and trained warriors turned into even more lethal vampires, so that was a bonus. This was how I came to become pledged to the Kingdom of Night, why Amelia's blood reacts to mine for she is descended from a line of witches pledged to the Night, why Demot loathed you and why the mark of my Kingdom now appears on you. For Aisling is Niall's centuries older half-sister."

"That explains a lot…" Sookie said, thinking of Dermot's words to her. The parallels were undeniable.

"That is not all…for the next thing I say to you relates to this," he fingered the already fading mark, "and to us."

Sookie gulped, apprehension choking her veins. It was always one thing after another with them. She wondered if they could ever just retire somewhere, like Florida. Live a boring life. Probably not. She wondered if she really wanted that kind of life.

"You are aware of the story that we admire Vlad the Impaler, Dracula? He made us see we could live lavishly?" Eric asked.

Sookie nodded. Pam had told her as such on Dracula Night, almost one year ago. She smiled at the memory of said night.

"That is not truly the case. The vampires under a kingdom flourished and did well for themselves, it was the unaffiliated and unpledged of our kind who did not, who grew to see Dracula as a model to emulate. They were the ones to admire and turn him. Dracula's influence spread to the rest of us as the Kingdom of Night and Kingdom of Blood continued warring and the warring became tiring."

"The adoption of Dracula as our icon happened because of the ultimate decline and fall of the Kingdom of Night to Gunnar and his forces. I guess he was a figure many of us could look up to, strong, blood loving, vital but under no one but himself. Dracula is also something easy to sell to the humans because it hides the true nature of how we vampires are organized and our real history."

Sookie filed that one under the same category as Bubba, the merely vampiric disease, silver allergy and sun allergy.

"The Kingdom of Blood was powerful and all encompassing and thus the Kingdom of Night was absorbed into the Kingdom of Blood, creating the international system of vampires we are today. We are all under the Blood. All vampires that exist today are affiliated with the Blood. Needless to say, the absorption was a long and arduous process, because while defeated, the Kingdom of Night was still powerful and mighty. Terms were reached in order for us to never war between ourselves like we did in those times."

"Like I said before, Gunnar had cunning, he knew that if he wanted the vampires to survive, we would all need to reach a compromise. Of course, not many actually like this compromise and our affiliation to either the Kingdom of Blood or Night continues to this day even though we are under one house. Even though those of the Night weren't forced to pledge themselves by blood to the Kingdom of Blood, for that is a humiliation, the animosities linger."

"The new system, the system still in place today, places Gunnar as the ruler and highest officiate over all vampires. He is our supreme sovereign. However, he is not without a check, the Ancient Pythoness. She was protected and worshipped by the Kingdom of Night for her wisdom and power. She became like our spiritual leader or a president in a semi-presidential political system, our head of state. It is a role she retains in the modern system now. Gunnar has the ultimate ruling power, but the Pythoness has certain…binding and traditional powers that even he cannot overrule. She makes sure that the interests of the Night are not forgotten and that we are treated fairly."

"In doing so, all the traditions and customs that developed under the Kingdom of Night were preserved. Including the Joint Covenant," Eric said with emphasis. Sookie's attention piqued.

"We are pledged, married and I was hoping that my blood in your body would fade before I needed to give you more of mine. However, I cannot undo what has happened. We have entered into the cusp of the Joint Covenant. It is not different as to what we have now, a little more formal, but there is one exception. Should anyone use or take you without my consent or harm you any way, I have the right to ask my ruler, who is now the Pythoness instead of Sigurd, to seek repentance or wage war."

"This puts Felipe in a further bind when it comes to me," Sookie realized, her eyes wide. The full consequences of what could occur punched into her.

"Yes," Eric said slowly, "and he is none too pleased with me."

"Victor captured a fairy around that night you were captured, one of Breandan's. He tortured it until he told him of you and your lineage to Niall, the Fairy War and their plans to capture you. Felipe happened to be in New Orlean's overseeing his empire when he got the news. They paid me a visit and gave me a choice," he spat out the word choice with venom, "He sees you as either a threat or an asset. I could save you with Felipe's full resources at my disposal with the consequence of you being made an asset of Nevada or I could not save you to which you would still be mine. I chose you, but not without consequence. To ensure that my word be kept, Felipe made me drink about a litre of silver nitrate with Pam and Victor as witnesses. However, my loyalty is still questionable to him."

Sookie's hand flew to her mouth, "Oh God, Eric. Oh my God!" She felt like she was breaking out in cold sweat at knowing what Felipe had done to Eric, the full cruelty, what she had nearly lost without knowing. If he had gone, when she would have realized what she felt, she would have had nothing. Nothing at all. She felt uncontrollable tears pour down her face. Eric pulled her close, knowing her pain, his lips brushing her temple.

"You almost died…" she choked. One of them was always in that position.

"I felt it, you know," he whispered, "every mark they put in you, every scream, every cut they drew. I felt it all and I could do nothing but feel it. Bill called me an hour before Felipe arrived at my bar, so I put a call into Niall, but he was held up by the war coming upon his palace. I could do nothing but wait and know the full extent of my failure to you. It killed me then. If I was dying by poison, it didn't match the death I felt within."

Sookie shuddered. She didn't know if she could stand it, if she had to feel what had been done to Eric, to know the one you cared above all else was in incredible suffering and being helpless to stop it.

"How are you still alright? Bill was poisoned by silver and he still might die," Sookie asked, swiping the tears from her eyes.

"Pam and Niall. Pam started my healing. She drained the poisoned blood from my body by draining me as much as she could stand. It is the fastest way to save a vampire of silver nitrate poisoning. It weakened her to a lesser extent than I, but still incapacitated her. Felipe knew he could incapacitate both Pam and I in this way. Pam then siphoned the blood from my body and began feeding me bottled and banked blood. Thalia brought in a donor. I owe my life to Pam's loyalty as well as those of my fief who protected us in our weakened state. However, I would have been incapacitated for months as I recovered from the draining had it not been for your grandfather who gifted me with the most sacred healing concoction in return for what he viewed as my sacrifice for you."

Eric's hand palmed her cheek and turned her eyes to his and said, "My greatest desire was to go to you then, but I was too weak, too useless."

"I know, I know," Sookie whispered back to him. Then, she took a shuddering breath. "What must we do to form the Joint Covenant?"

"Sookie…" Eric said.

"Tell me," Sookie implored. She had made her choice. This time it was her choice. She knew it with great conviction and that she had to do it.

Eric sighed, "A ceremony by knife."

"Do you have it?" she asked resolutely.

"Sookie...lover…"

"Do you have it? Here?" she repeated with determination.

A pause settled between them as Eric took in her face, the fortitude there, until finally, "I cannot do this."

"He will always hurt you to get to me and he will always hurt me to get to you. What else is there, Eric? I cannot lose you and I will not lose you. Not when I've just found you. I just won't," she said, shaking her head. The thought of losing him brought her more pain that she could have imagined possible. She felt dead at the thought of it.

A tear streaked down her cheek. Eric's thumb caught it for her. Gently, he told her, "You must know that Felipe is and always has been pledged to the Kingdom of Blood. A Joint Covenant under the Kingdom of Night is sacred. It will also make clear my loyalties and convictions to Felipe on where I stand not only between the Night and Blood, but also where I stand on how he took Louisiana."

"Since the Kingdom of Blood won over the Night, we are united only on surface. We ceded much our land in the old worlds to the Blood and sought land elsewhere in the new. When Felipe invaded and took over Louisiana, it was an obvious attack on the peace as well as those of us who were sworn under the Kingdom of Night. Felipe has always been an ardent follower of the Blood. There are those among us who think that he is not acting alone, that Louisiana was only the first piece, that the Blood desires to finally exterminate those of the Night, so they can acquire our wealth and finally be rid of us after centuries of waiting, now that we are fractioned and with no strong organization," Eric elaborated. It went beyond the two of them. It was political as well.

"If I do this, Sookie," he said firmly, "I take this stand."

Sookie let out a long breath and nodded her understanding.

"I love you and I trust you," she said just as firmly, "I am yours."

Eric kissed her slow and sweet, "Yes, I have the knife." All he could lose was tearing him apart.

With that, Sookie watched as he left the bed and went to the closet, he pushed some jackets aside and began fiddling with what had to be a safe. The safe door opened and Eric removed the black velvet wrapped bundle inside it. He then resealed the safe and walked towards her.

Sitting cross legged across from her, Eric began opening the bundle. Sookie mimicked his seated position. She realized that they were both naked with the smell of sex, blood and sweat about them and that she didn't pay any mind to it. Perhaps she had lost her modesty from being around vampires so much or maybe she was just comfortable with Eric. She had nothing to hide from him.

The blade glinted in pale silver, sharp and deadly as ever, against the black velvet. Eric picked up the knife with the blade facing his forearm to offer it to her. Sookie gently took the knife from his hand with reverence, understanding what she was about to do and the ceremony of it. Just as Eric had done with Victor present about two weeks before, Sookie took the knife to her lips and kissed the blade, looking into his eyes the entire time.

Sookie then used her hand to pull the hair from her neck, then tilted her head, offering her throat to Eric. He took the knife from her hand, kissing the blade as well and then placed a kiss on her cheek before planting one just over her pulse too. Sookie felt a sharp stinging pain as Eric ran the blade over her pulse, freeing the blood to trickle down to her collar bone. He then leaned over and licked the trail of blood before latching onto the cut and sucking her blood long and deep. His hand stroked her back soothingly. Sookie moaned a little. Soon enough the pain was gone and Eric had healed the wound.

Next, Eric offered her the knife again and Sookie accepted it. Taking a cleansing breath, she placed her free hand on Eric's chest, above the nipple area he had cut during their bonding in Rhodes. She glanced at his eyes for reassurance. Finding it there, she kissed the corner of his lip before sliding the blade below his nipple, drawing blood, just as he had done that fateful day those few months before. Bending her neck, Sookie placed her mouth over the wound before a drop was wasted and lapped up the blood, sucking hard before the wound closed. Eric's deep groan of appreciation urged her on.

When the wound closed, Sookie disengaged her mouth from Eric's body and he cleaned the remaining blood from her lips through a searing kiss. Settling the knife on his bedside table, Eric then laid them side by side on the bed. He took her left wrist and kissed the area where her pulse beat before showing her the Amaranth there now blood red and vibrant, almost glowing.

Sookie pulled herself closer to his body as she watched the mark almost thrum with energy. She could feel its ancient power and its weight, the significance, what they had vowed before each other. It really was sacred. "It will fade soon. When it does, it will only appear when your blood is drawn either by me or another ceremonial blade," Eric explained. Sookie nodded, she vaguely realized that she always wanted its presence on her body, her one physical reminder of everything that was Eric to take her through the days he could not be with her, to remember exactly what she felt in this moment, the purity of their bonding.

"I almost wish it could be with me always," she whispered.

"It's better that it won't, that it's secret," Eric noted.

"I know," Sookie replied, "It's just something of you that will always be with me."

Eric cupped her face and kissed her forehead, then gazed deep into her eyes, "I love you, Sookie."

Sookie grabbed the back of his head and pulled him towards her, catching his lips in a deep kiss. His tongue slid across hers relaxed and lazy and they revelled in their feelings for each other. She needed him in this moment, and he needed her too. Sookie's hand tangled into his long wheat blond hair, her free hand clutched his shoulder. She felt Eric's hand slowly glide from her knee, up her thigh to her hips, stomach and ribs before massaging her breast. She moaned at his touch.

When she felt Eric's arousal at her thigh, she slid her legs around his waist, wanting him back inside her. Eric obliged her in a single, deliciously long slide into her womb, allowing her to feel his every inch and fill her completely. When he rocked against her, it was slow and reverent, his eyes taking in her face and his hands caressing every curve of her body. He wanted to love and worship her body. This is what it must be like on the ocean, she thought. Sookie ran her hands lazily across his ribs and back, loving the feel of the hard muscle and soft skin. Eric smiled brazenly at her when her hand dipped boldly to his butt. With her free hand on his chest, Sookie pulled her body closer to his and kissed his lips. As she sucked his bottom lip, she pinched his nipple.

Sookie smiled against his lips when she heard him groan, letting a giggle escape her throat. Eric took advantage of her distraction and slipped his tongue into her mouth to duel with her. Sookie felt his hand slide from the curve of her hip, over her belly button, until at last he began to rub slow, torturous circles against her swollen nub with his talented fingers. Sookie gasped at the sensations in her lower body and began writhing on the sheets. She whimpered when his lips went from her mouth to her jaw. He began to lave her throat with his tongue, before he began kissing hard and sucking, punctuating his kisses with a thrust into her folds, hitting her g-spot and a tortuous rub of her clit.

Sookie's legs were quivering from the pleasure he was giving her, but it was torturous. She pushed her hand against his ass to encourage him faster, "Eric please…" he gasped, but he ignored her and continued to suck her neck, moving on to biting. She moaned at the sensation of pain and pleasure.

"Eric," she whimpered. Still, he ignored her.

Frustrated, she slid her hand down and squeezed his balls roughly. Eric grunted and bit down on her neck sharply, causing her to let out a sharp yelp, before increasing the speed and force of his thrusts. Eric brought his fingers to his mouth and licked off her juices, causing Sookie to moan at the erotic sight. Eric began to use his hands to toy with her breasts, while his kissed her by deliciously fucking her mouth with his tongue.

It wasn't long before Sookie was screaming in pleasure and frustratingly close to her brink.

"Open your eyes and cum for me, lover," Eric shouted above her.

The moment her blue eyes caught sight of his, her walls were clamping down on his cock inside her and her orgasm raced through her body, which was enough to bring Eric to his as well.

Sookie panted against his neck as his body slumped against hers. She kissed his jaw, "I wish we could stay in bed all night." She wanted to have time with him, to enjoy what they had, if only for tonight, but the real world surrounded them and would not be ignored.

Eric laughed and Sookie enjoyed the way it rumbled through his body.

"That's for Wednesdays," he replied leering down at her. Sookie giggled. Knowing Eric, it would be a promise.

Eric began kissing her jaw and neck again and Sookie sighed contentedly.

All of a sudden he stopped and his body became stock still and his muscles taut and alert.

"Pam is here. She is not expected. Something has happened," he said brusquely and hopped out of bed.

Sookie blew the air out of her lungs in a frustrated manner, "Aren't you glad life is never boring with me?" she asked sarcastically. Frankly, she had enough of the shit hitting the fan in her life in the more recent years.

Eric smiled charmingly at her and offered his hand, "Always."

He then darted to the dresser with vampire speed and tossed her underwear, a tee shirt and a pair of sweatpants. For himself, Eric donned a pair of black briefs, a white wifebeater and a pair of navy track pants. Sookie pulled on her hipster panties with a snort. Even in a crisis, Eric could find sexy underwear. They were black lace. She then hurried with the bra and the rest of her clothes before grabbing a hoodie on the way out. Eric was waiting for her at the door with his hair neatly pulled back in a low ponytail and thoughtfully handed her a hair tie.

As Eric lead her through the halls of his home to the sitting room, Sookie secured her hair in a high bun at the crown of her head.

Upon entering the sitting room, the pair found Pam sitting with her back straight with one leg crossed over the other on one of Eric's antique arm chairs while sipping a True Blood daintily. Xander's head rested on Pam's knee and she petted him occasionally. Sookie snickered.

Pam's eyebrow arched and her fangs ran out along her smirk, taking in Sookie's appearance and their scent. "Sookie, my friend, we must talk," she said excitedly. This was punctuated by Xander's excitement at seeing both of them. He wagged his tail and ran up to Eric who obliged in patting his head. The dog then bounded onto a coach and decided to lounge there.

Sookie groaned.

"Oh and master, you might want to mark her again before the end of the week," Pam said slyly, handing an ornate envelope to Eric. Eric glared. She called him master when she was especially proud or especially teasing and of course when it was necessary for propriety or her own hide. He had no doubt she was in a teasing mood. The envelope was gold and had elaborate arching flourishes shaped like feathers monogrammed into the paper.

Sookie's hand flew to her neck. It was Pam's turn to snicker. Sookie's head darted around, searching for a mirror. She felt a tap on her shoulder. In Pam's hand was a mirrored compact. Sookie wanted to wipe the shit eating grin off her face. Instead, she took the compact from Pam and observed the rapidly forming welt on the side of her neck with annoyance. She glared at Eric who merely smiled at her.

"What's going on?" Sookie asked, wanting to get to the point of Pam's appearance.

"Felipe has invited a contingent of Area 5 vampires to go to his Dracula Night Ball in Las Vegas. The invitation arrived at Fangtasia as I was opening," Pam said, all glee was wiped from her face, in its place was sombre lament. Sookie felt her heart drop to the floor at Pam's tone.

Eric frowned, "He always had a taste for the dramatic," then he pouted, "And he knows I always host Dracula Night." Sookie couldn't help but roll his eyes. He could be such a little kid.

He opened the envelope revealing a thick black card of high grade paper. It was textured with lines like fabric. Dark silhouettes of creepy trees were pressed into the front with an even blacker paper with texture like wood. A full moon of stark white paper was behind the tree. In flowing script of blood red edged with silver were the words, 'You are invited to a celebration to remember…" Upon opening the card, he held it to Sookie's level so she could see the text as well, 'Join us to revel in our icon on Dracula Night. February 8th, 2006. 10 o'clock at night. Dark Luna Hotel. Las Vegas, Nevada. Formal attire required. You might be in the presence of our lord after all! RSVP with Sandy. I look forward to celebrating with you and your guest and being lucky enough to meet our dear Vlad. –Felipe De Castro." Sookie could almost be amused by Felipe's tone. No, he wasn't trying to attack everything that she cared about.

"Whose presence has he asked for?" Eric asked all business like.

"Ours as well as the wealthiest and most prestigious in the Area, Michelle Lambert, Hans Wagner, Gianni Lombardi, Michel Loraq, Keiko Matsui, Mei Ling Zhao, and Andrew Goode," Pam replied.

"He is no doubt using the event to consolidate his power and weed out those who are loyal from those who are not. You only host a ball because you want pledges," Eric explained to Sookie with a wave of his hand. Sookie did not like his casual air one bit. It pissed her off.

Pam's eyes narrowed and she blew out an unneeded breath, "He wishes to try you and make an example of you before an audience and your people, Eric." Apparently it pissed Pam off too.

"What!?" Sookie exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"He wants you to lose face, in front of those loyal to you. He wants the vampires of this area with the most clout and respect to witness it so that fear will be struck into the hearts of all in our area," Pam practically hissed at Eric's nonchalance.

"Oh I know, Pam. There's not need to get worked up about it," Eric said with a smirk, "You know it."

"Someone had better tell me what the hell is going on here," Sookie bit out, raising her voice. She could feel her heart rate and breathing increase. However, both vampires seemed to ignore her.

Pam's eyebrow arched once more, "You have an angle."

"Yes," Eric replied.

"Is it any good?" Pam questioned.

"It has a 50 percent chance of working. Things are not so grave," Eric said lazily.

Pam nodded, "That is better than before." Sookie did not take comfort in this.

"We had better get to Fangtasia," Eric said, "It's Friday. I will come once we have changed."

Xander barked and Eric rolled his eyes, "I'll need to put him outside as well."

"I'm still in the room you know!" Sookie complained, crossing her arms and staring them both down, "You had better tell me what the two of you have planned here." She refused to be left out of something so important. Eric knew her better than that.

Eric and Pam shared a look and when they looked at her, both were astoundingly grave. It stunned her and worried her.

Eric took her hand and cupped her cheek. She had never seen such a serious expression on Eric's face, "Trust me when I say this. What comes next is harrowing. I do not know the outcome. All I know is that much is about to be undone. I know you hate this. I hate it too. But it is truly better that you not know."

A choking fear had clutched her throat and began squeezing tightly upon her neck.

* * *

Yes, that is Eric's Psychic! Yes, the DATE is significant. Stew on that as you will. She's known Eric a VERY long time. I always thought I wanted to do this meeting of them at an Aerosmith concert, specifically Texxas Jam. I knew Sookie was born on July 1st, and doing the math, it had to be 1978 and who should be at Texxas Jam on that date and headline but Aerosmith. I was like SWEET! The concert also featured Van Halen, Journey, Heart and Ted Nugent, so with that billing, it wouldn't be out of the question for a meeting between friends…The greatest thing about YouTube is that you can find a gazillion live performances and bootlegs. As such, you can find boots of Aerosmith at Texxas Jam. I needed to know if their set was performed in darkness lol. I googled the attendance and the number I got was 150, 000. It was held at the Cotton Bow in Dallas, which could fit about 76, 000 people in the stands in the 70s. I figure, you sell tickets for the pit where teams would normally play football and then lawn tickets on the property off the stadium and you'd fit 150, 000 people. Plus, they probably oversold it anyway. Wiki lol. Aerosmith's first European tour was a disaster. There was a LOT of rain at the festivals and their trunks were labelled Lieber-Krebs, their management company which meant liver cancer in German. Not to mention something like the critics liked them, but the people not so much…It's changed a LOT for Aero there now though. Any BSG fans get the Pythia reference? It's a real life ref too. Pythia is important to the story. You have seen her before… Koichi is pronounced with a long 'o' sound in the 'ko' and then eee-chi. So 'ko-E-chi'.

I feel like this is almost a huge filler chapter. That being said, I have to set things up to get the plot moving…so…there's lots of porn here besides that and Sookie has made some decisions about her old life. Also, it's very heavy on mythology. There is much more to come on that respect lol. One of the things I vowed when I wrote this fic was to get the romance aspects of Sookie and Eric out quickly, so I could move on to the plot. That's not to say that everything will be peachy between them, and there will be definite obstacles.

I basically chose the names Gunnar and Sigurd because once again, I'm including something I learned in my English class from reading Seamus Heaney and researching his references. Basically, Gunnar and Sigurd swore an oath of brotherhood. Sigurd helped Gunnar win several wars and even married Gunnar's sister. Basically when everything goes shitty is when Gunnar wants to marry a Valkyrie named Byrnhild, who slept in a ring of fire until a hero could wake her up. Gunnar tried many times to ride through the fire but could not. So he asked Sigurd to take his place by using his mother's magic to change their appearances. Sigurd got through and won Byrnhild's hand for Gunnar. One day Byrnhild was boasting to Sigurd's wife about how her husband is so much better, so Sigurd's wife who is Gunnar's sister tells her the truth of what happened. When Byrnhild found out she had been tricked, she tricked Gunnar into using someone else to kill Sigurd. Since Gunnar couldn't do it himself because of their oath. Byrnhild, upon learning Sigurd's death tells Gunnar that she'd never loved anyone else but Sigurd and kills herself. Gunnar ends up burning Sigurd and Byrnhild in the same pyre as a boon. After all this happens, the rest of Sigurd and Gunnar's remaining family basically becomes more cursed than the Kennedys and have a ton of bad shit befall each and every one of them. There are several versions of the story. My Sigurd and Gunnar don't really have anything to do with that Sigurd and Gunnar, just the theme of two who are once brothers breaking an oath, the Cain and Abel thing, but I decided to go Norse .

It is probably worth it to tell you all that my idea to use the Amaranth came from the song "Amaranth" by Nightwish. It's the idea of something that is eternal, never fading, which I thought was perfect as a symbol for the Kingdom of Night. It's pervasive and it survives.

This chapter was pretty easy to write, once I got past the beginning section and really got down to it. I went to places that I didn't know I would go, but the plot is definitely heating up. And I really like the way it turned out. The length was also a lot more manageable lol. I'm thinking of trying to cap all my chapters at around 10, 000 words, so it doesn't become such an arduous process…This guy's 11, 261 words before editing lol and 12, 425 after....

I apologize for the delay due to my vacation and my commitment to my recaps on Blood Bonds. I will be updating more regularly once I finish my entry to the Summer of 69 Contest. Once again, I have to pimp my site. It's bloodbonds(dot)wordpress(dot)com.

As always, I enjoy any and all feedback you have to give to me, even if it's negative. I haven't been responding to your reviews and I feel badly about that. I'll be rectifying that soon when I have time. Currently I have to write the 69 entry and my next recap, but I'll make time for that, I promise.

PS. I have decided to call the next chapter Time is Running Out after the Muse song... _You will be the death of me..._Hehehehee

~simba_317


	6. Chapter Five: Time is Running Out

**Disclaimer: **If I owned the Sookie Stackhouse novels, I would make a contract stipulation that Eric has to show his ass properly in every nude scene. ;) Too bad I don't.

**Author's Notes:** Well, first off, I'm opening with a scene with Pam and Eric…and let's just say that even though it's not totally obvious that it's Pam doing the carding the first night at Fangtasia, for our purposes, it is. The plots starts rolling and gets a little more hmmm…in this chapter. Sookie's licence is involved in the scene and I'm guessing her weight is around 130 to 140, but we all lie on it…so. She's a size 8 to 10 with boobs.

So…I said I would get to reviews when I had the time…but the only reviews I've responded to were the ones for A Lesson in the Temporal. I'll get to your reviews eventually, I promise. I think I'll try to be proactive from now on instead of waiting on them, because now it's just kind of daunting lol. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for sending me reviews though. They are my crack. When I was without them last chapter, it made me worried as hell. I had this huge mythology laden chapter and really wanted feedback on it. So of course, the review function craps out. Go figure.

I apologize thoroughly for not getting this chapter out faster than I have. I kept getting bogged down with things, school, running the site (bloodbonds(dot)wordpress(dot)com…and so this kept getting pushed back. I'm pulling 8 hour days you know? Half classes, half studying, doing homework…lol. A lot of things are getting pushed back…but they will get done. I do have a plotbunny for the Halloween contest…so look for that! The sequel/continuation to A Lesson in the Temporal will come after that too.

It took me awhile to really get into this chapter…but I really love the last 2000 words. I wrote it in one day. This Sunday in fact. Lol. The rest of it has been ruminating on my laptop for over a month. I feel bad. Horribly.

Muse is a band I got into the first time I heard 'Hysteria' back in 2004, I'm not a bandwagon jumper! Their next album is in September! WOOO! Lol. I love them. I have all their albums. "Time is Running Out" is one of my favourites by Muse. I love this song because I think it embodies a LOT of what Eric and Sookie had in their past and currently. It's about a relationship and its push and pull. I love that there's this statement and then a rebuttal in to it through the chorus. Someone is drowning in the relationship, wants it to end, someone is fighting for it. There is passion and heat. And the line 'You will be the death of me.' For this chapter…well…time is running out for Eric and Sookie, the plot's vice grip is getting tighter on their necks…Oh and I HEART The Resistance. Undisclosed Desires is such an E/S song.

**CHAPTER FIVE: TIME IS RUNNING OUT**

* * *

_**Summer, 2004 **_

_"You think it's Longshadow?" Pam stated, daintily sipping a bottle of True Blood on the couch in his living room._

_"I know it's Longshadow," he responded resolutely. Oh he knew without a doubt and it chaffed at him, the betrayal and the lack of evidence needed for action._

_Pam nodded, unworried about ears in Eric's private residence. Her nose wrinkled as she spotted dust on an exquisite Middle Eastern urn with a stunning geometric pattern. It was time for Eric's private quarters to receive a good dusting. Oh he never made her do it, but he knew she would. It bothered her like a personal offense. Pam hated dust._

_Eric's voice swung her from her thoughts on cleaning. She caught the smirk on his face. __Looks like Longshadow would finally suffer for his thievery. The pair had secretly checked the vampire and human staff to no avail. A vampire was obviously the culprit, for the use of glamour was afoot._

_"Bill Compton's so-called paramour, the blonde woman. A telepath. What was her name?" he asked._

_Pam smiled, realizing his plans. Yes, it was the perfect trap. "Sookie Adele Stackhouse. Blonde hair, blue eyes. Five feet, six inches. 130 pounds. July 1st, 1978. 25 years old. 4 Hummingbird Drive." Her memory was vampire perfect._

_Pam watched slightly startled as a look crossed Eric's face. It passed quickly. She found it curiously interesting._

_"Sookie Stackhouse, born July 1st, 1978?" Eric repeated lamely. His brows had creased._

_"Yes," Pam confirmed, frowning slightly. She knew Eric had heard perfectly._

_She tilted her head over the rim of the bottle, raising a fine eyebrow._

_Eric's face shifted, "Something someone told me once…" he explained._

_"Pythia?"_

_"No."_

_"Oh, the Tigress then?"_

_"Yes."_

_Pam smirked. She saw an opening and could practically see the groan in Eric's throat at what must be her facial expression. "What did she say?"_

_Eric raised an eyebrow, "I suppose you could say that things are about to get interesting."_

_"Oh good! The Revelation has since become quite boring."_

_Eric rolled his eyes at the giddiness in his child. "Give Bill Compton the call," he ordered._

_Pam primly set down her blood on the ornate wooden table that needed a good waxing, then reached for her cell phone within her designer purse. She gave him a shit eating grin as she walked past him into the hall._

_Eric could hear Pam's heels clacking on the hardwood floors as he pondered the words he'd heard more than 25 years ago._

_Two nights later, he was wondering why there was blood on his hands for that particular human._

* * *

Sookie sighed tiredly as she adjusted the red strap of the black string bikini with the white vampire graphics that Eric had purchased for her. She rubbed her eyes frustratingly, leaning back on the wooden lounge chair. Sleep had been escaping her for the past week since she'd found out that Felipe had dark intentions towards herself and Eric. On top of all that, the secrecy that Eric and Pam had outright flaunted was driving her crazy. She knew it was necessary. She understood Eric would protect her at all costs, even if it meant withholding information. It was just the doubts, the stress, the fear and the anxiety were eating away at her brain. To top it all off, they would leave for the hotbed of trouble in two days. Great.

Sookie shook her head, attempting to shake herself from her thoughts. Picking up _The Princess Bride_, she thought it was a good a time as any to finish reading it. She'd been distracted lately with everything going on and hadn't had a chance to really finish the book. She'd been thinking about Amelia's words, making plans, doing research, thinking about her goals. She'd moved some more things from her house into Eric's. She'd helped Carl and Ellie with Eric's home and explored the sprawling grounds. She'd accompanied Amelia to doctor's appointments. She'd spent as much of the night as she could with Eric, which meant trips to Fangtasia, long nights and short days that she slept away. It was scaring her, that the little pattern they'd created, their little newborn life together that could be striped away in a matter of days, hours really. They'd made it count, but she hated the feeling of a tightening noose around their necks.

Everything was hurtling out of her control and all she had was her trust and faith in Eric. She wasn't used to this, being blind, well, being knowingly blind. She was relinquishing control to Eric over her well-being and her heart and mind were at a stand off. She had lost count of the number of times she had been ready to beg him for information, or to extort it out of him. She didn't know what was holding her back. She found herself asking again and again over the past week, 'Do you trust him?' A thousand answers came back at her. A thousand answers with stipulations. Maybe the better question would be 'Do you trust him to get you two out of this?'

She knew full well that Eric was ready to die and he had made it abundantly clear that he placed her life above his own and that he had a plan for this worst case scenario. Well, not in so many words, but the implication hung behind his words. It was neither comforting nor beneficial to her. For what was the point if he died? Of course Eric never sugar coated. She wasn't sure if it was good or bad for her this time. It was driving her crazy.

Eric had a sort of greenhouse or atrium at the rear of his house, just off the sitting room and it was here she was trying to find some peace among the exotic plants and warm sunlight that spilled through the glass ceiling and the floor to ceiling windows framed by marble walls. It was a great place to sunbathe in the winter, the temperature was several degrees warmer than the rest of the house and the glass magnified the rays from the sun. There was even a long narrow pool made of beautiful tile in the centre of the room.

She had her book with her, a glass of sweet tea and Xander to keep her company. It was her favourite pastime, sunbathing. Yet, she could not stop the fear in her heart from expanding ever more.

Sookie slammed her book on the table beside her. She couldn't focus on the words. She was too tired and too worked up. Maybe a nap…

The next thing Sookie knew, cunning fingers running along her ribs on the ticklish part. She woke up with a start.

She was aware she had napped away the afternoon, the sky was dark all around her. The only light in the place came from the floor lights in the pool and various lamps in the atrium. A rippling glow was cast around the room from the light in the pool.

Eric was leering down at her, smirking, ready and completely naked. "I missed you in our bed, but you look exquisite," he said as his finger traced the edge of her bikini top over her breast.

"You know, Carl and Ellie might see you. I don't know if they'd appreciate this," she said with a smile, taking him in against the darkness of the room. She took her forgotten glass in her hand and took a long sip. The ripples in the water of the pool refracted the light in the room, casting a brilliant glow off Eric's pale body. He looked beautiful.

"They don't care," Eric purred, "But you definitely do…in other ways." His hand slipped into the cup of her bikini top and palmed her breast, pinching her nipple. Sookie gasped, immediately feeling her bottoms grow wet. She spilled the remainder of her sweet drink down her side as the glass rolled along the tiled floor. She had become insatiable for him. It didn't take much by this man to get her in a state.

Sookie watched his eyes dilate in lust as he saw the hardness of her nipples through her bikini, smelled the scent of her arousal from her sex and feel her desire for him pulse through the bond.

Using his hands, he readjusted her legs slightly, so he could sit on the lounge chair with her. His hands brushed from her neck to her chest as she sat up to be closer to him.

"You're wearing more than you should," he growled.

Sookie offered only a grin in invitation.

Eric's mouth was upon her as he kissed her hot, sweet mouth with passion and abandon. Sookie's arms tangled around his shoulders as she returned his kiss with fervour, brushing his cool tongue with her hot one and exploring his mouth. She ran her tongue down his fangs, knowing just how much he liked it.

Eric broke the kiss and Sookie felt his wandering hands at her back, his forehead pressed against hers. He pulled the bow and knot of her bikini free and the strings fell to her sides. Slowly his hands trailed down her bare sides, along the newly revealed flesh on the sides of her breasts. Sookie moaned and arched her back. It felt so good.

Then his mouth was on her right breast, sucking her nipple hard through the fabric of the bikini. She felt the smile on his lips when she mewled at his attentions. His hands stroked her bare back slowly and seductively. When he came up, his hand took the centre of her bikini between her breasts and pulled it up off her chest and neck, tossing the garment over his shoulder. Her hair curtained around her face as it fell back down from the movement and he brushed it off, beginning to lavish attention on her full soft breasts, now fully bare to him.

He kissed a trail from her clavicles, down her chest and then buried his face between her breasts. He sighed happily, "Mmm…I love your breasts." Sookie giggled.

She wondered how it could be so easy at moments like this, but so difficult when the world was around them. When he was with her, she felt content and safe. When he was gone, her mind wavered in doubt.

Eric's head rose as he sensed her change in mood, he kissed her forehead softly. "What's wrong?"

Sookie sighed, looking into his eyes with a deadpan look.

"Do not worry, dear one. It is not upon us, not yet," he whispered into her ear as his fingers stroked her hair. He was so reassuring and safe, but Sookie didn't know if she could believe it at the moment.

"Right now…I want you to feel me," he said, his eyes boring into hers and fingers trailing her cheeks. Eric's long golden hair framed his face and curtained hers, brushing along her neck, shoulders and chest. She couldn't quite resist him. Sometimes she hated that. She could feel her shoulders relax and the tension lift from her body.

Sookie pressed her forehead to his, closing her eyes, bracing her arms on his impossibly broad shoulders as he supported her back with his tightly wrapped arms around her.

"Tomorrow, we will deal with the pressing matters. Tonight, in this moment, it cannot touch us. Do not let it. Feel me."

"Tomorrow."

The moment the words left her throat, Eric's hands and mouth were on her. His left hand palmed and fondled her breast, flicking, twisting and pinching her nipple, while he planted a trail of wet kisses down her throat, atop the curve of her left breast until he reached his goal, her pert nipple. He sucked hard, biting, running his talented tongue over it. All the while his right hand trailed down to her bikini bottoms. She felt his smile on her breast, his fangs scraping gently as his fingers sneaked into her remaining scrap of clothing, petting her public hair, before slipping into her deliciously wet and wanting folds. His fingers pumped in and out of her hot, tight sheath as his thumb stroked her swollen nub. Sookie was lost to the sensations, gasping and panting.

As his long fingers curled over her g-spot and his fingers over her breast clamped down hard on her nipple, Sookie let out a loud scream. Eric's head tilted from her breast as he regarded her with a smirk.

"Tell me, Sookie, do you feel me?" he asked, arrogantly.

"Ugh…" she moaned, wanting to smack him across the face. His attentions ceased, save for the incessant rubbing of her clit with his thumb. Only she craved more, more friction. Her hips thrust slowly to meet his hand wantonly.

She curled her leg over his shoulder to keep him on top of her, "Yes!" she exclaimed, frustratingly. Cocky bastard.

She heard his rumbling laugh as he reattached himself to her breast and continued to fuck her with his hands. Sookie growled. She had just about enough of him.

Sookie released her leg from him and pushed Eric off her. Pulling his hand out from within her bottoms was like taking it out of the cookie jar. Glaring into his eyes, she sucked her juices from each long, thick finger, from digit to tip, denying him her taste. His groan as he watched her was music to her ears.

She left the lounge chair and pushed him back onto it. Then she straddled his lap. Pulling the bows at her bikini bottoms, she removed the last article of clothing and tossed it to the side. She then sat on top of his navel, her heat and wetness pooling over his stomach. His very aroused member stood rigidly behind her ass. Eric groaned at the sensation of her pussy on his stomach, the delicious heat and the slick wetness and of being denied.

Sookie only grinned mischievously at him, winking, as her hands traversed across his chest. Her full, pouty lips were at his throat, nipping, sucking and kissing as her fingers pinched and tweaked his nipples. Eric stroked her back, encouraging her. Her heavy breasts were just brushing his skin, her nipples were hard and teasing. He was now painfully aroused with an itch not being scratched.

His hand left her body to enclose around his shaft and pump himself. Eric groaned at the small relief, but she reached behind herself and pulled his hand away.

"Oh, I don't think so, mister," she whispered huskily into his ear as she bit and sucked his lobe. Fuck, Eric could feel his penis twitch and ache painfully.

She then sat up and smiled at him as she reached behind her and stroked the soft skin along his inner thighs.

Before Sookie could even comprehend the sensation, Eric's hands had clamped on her hips and pulled her up to position her pussy over his hardened arousal.

"No more games," he ground out. Sookie smiled and nodded.

As his penis brushed over her clit, Sookie moaned. The tip of his penis slid along her slick pussy until at he found her slit. At last, she was finally be impaled by him as he lowered her inch by painfully slow inch onto him. She braced her hands on his chest.

Groans escaped their mouths as Sookie finally sheathed him completely. She panted, adjusting to the sensation. He was massive and she felt the stretch every time he entered her. It was also extremely erotic to have him buried so deeply inside her.

Sookie kissed Eric hungrily as she slowly rocked her hips. He responded vigorously, his hips met her thrust for thrust, desperate for the feel of her.

"You wish to torture me?" Eric whispered against her lips, growling at her shallow thrusts.

Sookie smiled, kissing the tip of his nose, "Yes."

Eric responded by taking her arms and pushing her up to sit on top of him.

Sookie pouted slightly as she rode him, "You're not playing fair." Eric's eyes were fixated on the bounce of her breasts. It was simply erotic.

"All's fair," he replied as he took her breasts into his hands and began playing her like an instrument. Sookie couldn't help it when her hands pressed against his.

"Mmm…fuck," she murmured. She was barely lucid when Eric sat up on the lounge chair, using his arms to wrap her legs around his waist. She was briefly aware of Eric's hands returning to her hips controlling her thrusts.

Her next sensation was cool water all around her. She flailed slightly under the water, seeing nothing but deep blue and her hair floating about her. When her vision cleared, she saw only Eric's wide grin and mischievous eyes, his hands still on her hips securing her body to his. He was still buried deep inside her.

Sookie gasped for air as they broke the surface.

Contempt blazed in her eyes, but before she could respond, Eric's mouth was pressed to hers, demanding, dominating, her back was pressed to the wall of the pool and his hands cupped her ass tightly, aiding his pounding into her womb. He loved the feel of her ass, full and round as a woman's should.

"Revenge is sweet," he whispered into her ear, before kissing her neck.

And she would have responded if she didn't feel him pulsing inside her and if she didn't want her own orgasm. She pulled him closer to her with one arm, dropping her other hand to where they were joined to use her fingers on her clit.

He was going to make her beg and she was too frustrated not to, "Fuck, Eric! Harder!" Eric's only response was an animalistic grunt as he hit her with more force against his length.

She screamed his name as he hit her g-spot and sank his fangs into her neck with, setting off her orgasm as one of his hands held her head still. Sookie felt his shuddering release as the taste of her blood hit his tongue. She lay limply on his body, wrapping her arms around his back as he fed from her.

The Amaranth on the skin of her wrist flashed bright and red before waning and hiding once more.

"You are horrible," she teased as he was licking her neck to heal the wounds.

She could feel the smile on his mouth.

"You love me anyway," he answered, his eyes twinkling at her as he brushed her wet hair away from her face.

"Unfortunately," she returned wrinkling her nose, kissing his delectable mouth chastely.

Eric pulled out of her and lifted her up to sit on the pool's edge, "We need to go to Fangtasia now."

He hopped out of the pool and Sookie watched transfixed as the rivulets of water cascaded down his fantastic body.

Her smirked at her expression, offering his hand, "Come." Sookie took it and followed him out of the atrium, grabbing her discarded bikini on the way out.

They were crossing the hall and about to climb onto the staircase when Sookie heard a voice from the sitting room.

"Was that really necessary?"

There, sitting in an armchair in the living room, reading the Shreveport Times, with an elegant eyebrow raised was her great-grandfather, Niall. Xander was napping at his feet. Sookie yelped, blood rushing to her face and neck. She wrapped an arm around her breasts and shot a hand down to cover her crotch. However, she quickly realized how ineffective her arm was at covering her breasts when her girls were as endowed as hers were. It just made them stand out even more. Quickly, she ducked her naked body behind Eric's massive one. She punched his back when she heard him snicker at her actions.

Eric shrugged. Niall rolled his eyes. "Regardless, I need to talk to the two of you…once you are decent."

Niall waved them off, his attention retaken by the newspaper. Sookie darted up the stairs, noticing her grandfather diverted. Eric simply chuckled as he took the stairs at a leisurely pace, taking in the sight of her fleeing bare bottom.

He found Sookie in the shower, furiously scrubbing her body with soap, her skin still deliciously flushed. She looked absolutely delicious and stunningly wet.

Eric opened the glass door and entered the enclosed space. Sookie tossed him a glare over her shoulder as she heard the door opening.

"I can't believe you did that!" she squeaked.

"You asked me to fuck you harder and I figured you didn't exactly want me to stop just because your grandfather teleported into the living room," Eric explained with a sly grin as he invaded her personal space to get under the spray.

Sookie shoved the wall of his chest hard. "We could have taken the stairs up from the kitchen! He wouldn't have seen us, you idiot!"

Eric shrugged, "The main stairs are faster from the ones from the kitchen."

"You were being a brat because of some stupid male pissing contest and you know it," she accused haughtily.

Eric chuckled, "Maybe." He wrapped his arms around her wet middle, pressing her back to his chest and began to kiss her neck.

Sookie felt his obvious arousal pressing into her ass and broke off the embrace. "You are SOOO not getting some."

"It's okay, I can use my imagination," he purred as he winked at her. Eric grasped his cock in his hands, closed his eyes and started pumping.

His head tossed back as he moaned, "Mmm…Sookie."

Sookie could only watch him, her mouth dry and hanging off her jaw. He was incredibly erotic, sensual, alive, thrumming with energy. She shivered at the sight of him, eyes closed, mouth open, murmuring her name, the water streaming down every plane of his long, lean body, as he pumped himself in dedication to her. She felt heat spread from her core to her limbs, her nipples tighten painfully and slickness pool in her sex. Her breathes were coming out as pants and her breasts were heaving.

It wasn't long before his body tensed and then he was shuddering as he came all over his hands, her name upon his lips.

Sookie could barely breathe as he used his cum covered fingers to brush her cheek. He licked it off her as he squeezed her aroused breast. He whispered a promise into her ear, "I shall take care of you later tonight."

Reaching behind her with a smirk, he took the shampoo and began to gently massage it into her scalp.

"You're still in hot water, you know," Sookie said as she pinched his nipples hard.

Eric laughed lightly, "I do…and that just arouses me."

"Oh, I know," Sookie replied as she washed his chest.

Eric pouted and Sookie conditioned her hair quickly.

"Hurry up, my grandfather is downstairs and according to you, we have to get to Fangtasia," Sookie replied as she rinsed out the conditioner.

"Indeed…I don't want my hair to be green."

Sookie rolled her eyes and handed him the shampoo as she stepped out of the shower, drying herself with a fluffy white towel. Wrapping a towel around her body and another in her hair, she did a quick job of moisturizing her skin before stepping into the walk-in closet.

She briefly pondered what to wear to go to Fangtasia, before she decided on a black silk cocktail dress she had bought for the trip to Las Vegas. She frowned slightly for she had to find a few more dresses for the events, but had yet to find the perfect one. Sookie set out her dress and a pair of sheer black panty hose before grabbing a pair of panties from her underwear drawer in the main bedroom and returning to the closet.

Discarding the towel around her body, she slipped on a bright blue satin thong. It looked great against her skin and set off her eyes. Something Eric was sure to appreciate before he tore it off her, she mused with a smile. Next, she slipped on the panty hose before donning the cocktail dress and zipping it up in the back. It was boat necked and the fabric was loose on her bust until it gathered at her waist. The fabric was then scrunched horizontally to form a thick belted portion on her waist, which emphasized its slimness, before being fitted on her hips, with a set of pleats and flaring slightly at the hemline at about her knees. The front was modest, but the back was not. The V cut dipped until it hit her waist in the back, revealing the smooth planes of her back. Luckily, it had some built in support.

She was at the dresser brushing out her wet hair and twisting it into a bun when Eric finished his shower. He was slipping into slim charcoal grey pants when she slipped past him into the bathroom to dab on some makeup. Eric tossed her an appreciative leer and Sookie rolled her eyes. She slicked on a bit of mascara and eyeliner along with red lip gloss. Eric was in the room brushing his damp hair into a ponytail when she sat on the bed to slip on a pair of black leather boots. They ended at her ankle and had an impressive heel and many straps and buckles. Pam had insisted she buy them once she noticed them.

When she looked up, Eric was looking mouth-watering in a slim, expertly tailored charcoal grey suit with a black shirt with the first few buttons undone. A Viking belt buckle adorned his black leather belt and his leather boots were shiny. He smirked at her as he handed her a white cashmere cardigan for warmth.

As she stood up, he revealed a black pearl necklace with large pearls in his hand.

"It matches," he said as way of explaining as he noticed the quirk of her brow.

"When'd you get it?" she grumbled.

"When I noticed the dress."

"It's non-refundable," he said when he saw her open her mouth, "because I said so."

Sookie sighed and popped in a pair of silver hoop earrings along with a few bangles Amelia had given her from New Orleans, grabbed her black leather purse and followed Eric down the main stairs to the living room, where Niall was still flipping through the newspapers. Rather amusingly, he had reached the gossip portions of the Entertainment section. Sookie smiled at the sight of the ancient Niall catching up on the latest Brangelina gossip.

The living room was a wide comfortable space with massive arching windows that looked out into the grounds below. Walls painted a rich red bore paintings old and new, carvings and masks. An ornately carved fireplace stood against dark wooden panelling, the only antique piece in the room. The only room that was kept in its fully antique splendour was the library. The chairs in the living room were all big, comfy and leather and the coffee table was simple, modern and wooden. The lamps were a mix and match symphony of antiques and modern glass pieces.

When Niall spotted Sookie, his eyes lit up and he regarded her with a warm smile, setting down the papers. He stood and gave her a hug. Sookie remembered the touchy feelyness of the fairies, recalling Claudine with a heavy heart.

Niall stood back and regarded her happily, "It has been too long, but things seem to be settling down enough for your old grandfather to pop in for a visit."

Sookie chuckled, "It's good to see you."

"You look well, my dear," Niall commented, "Your scars have faded."

"Yes," Sookie said, nodding. She was relieved that the marks had finally disappeared all together. They all were.

He stood up gracefully and picked her arm, inspecting it, running his hand over the finally smooth skin, before he stopped abruptly.

When Niall's eyes caught hers, they were blanched with a strange mixture of sadness and surprise. Perhaps a little anger too. "There's something different about you. I can feel it."

Sookie balked, stepping back slightly, her head darted to Eric briefly for a reassurance. Catching their gaze, Niall's eyes immediately narrowed.

"You didn't," he said desperately, sadness flooding his eyes as he regarded Sookie with anxiety.

Sookie shook her head, not knowing what to say, "I…"

Before Sookie could even register the movement, she felt a sharp sting on her wrist. Looking down, she saw a thin trail of blood snaking into her palm and the glint of a knife in Niall's hand. The Amaranth flooded to the surface of her skin in betrayal and revealed itself once more. The sound of the hiss on Eric's lips emphasized the tension in the air.

"You knew better! You do still!" Niall exclaimed, his voice accusing, glaring at Eric with narrowed eyes. His body was bent and tense, ready to attack the Viking.

"And so I do," Eric admitted, unaffected, brushing him off.

A puff of air rushed out of Niall's lungs through his teeth, seething in anger with a retort upon his tongue, but Eric cut him off.

"What would you have me do, Niall?" Eric asked with his eyebrow raised, his tone challenging.

"It does not matter anymore, does it?" Niall spat, fully aware of how Eric had engineered the events. His features were scrunched and his hands were fisted. It was the most angry that Sookie had ever seen her grandfather. It chilled her.

Her head bobbed between the two of them, taking in her grandfather's fury and Eric's cool calm and determination. They were a pair of cobras ready to strike. She noted their subtle change in stance, the tension stream through Eric's muscles and the expression on Niall's face. She could practically see each man sizing the other up and calculating attack strategy. In a battle between Niall and Eric, she truly didn't know who would win. She abhorred the thought of the two men warring with each other.

Xander barked excitedly from the couch, stirring Sookie from her thoughts. She stepped between the two men trying, to make peace between them. Taking a deep breath, she brought up her hands to diffuse the situation, "Look…"

But before she could continue, Niall had clutched her hand in both of his, his expression woeful, "Do you understand this, Sookie? Do you?"

Sookie looked into Niall's face, taking in the emotions darting in his eyes. The age on his face had never looked more prominent, the once graceful and delicate lines and wrinkles had taken on a ragged, rough appearance. He was tired, his years catching up to him. Yet, she could not lie to him.

Sighing deeply, Sookie said, "Yes, I do."

Then, turning her head to catch Eric's gaze, her free arm wrapped around his waist. "I love him."

Eric pulled her close and kissed her temple in response and Sookie leaned into his touch, feeling relief from the gesture.

"You've bound your life to his, a tight unbreakable knot," Niall whispered sadly, defeated. "No manoeuvring. No way out." His voice took on a reminiscent tone and the sight was removed from his eyes as he continued lost to the memories, "Just like Aisling."

He sighed, closing his ancient eyes, "I wanted you to follow your heart. I never thought you'd do it so well."

Niall then slumped down into the armchair he had vacated, setting his knife on the coffee table. He looked, for all to see, a man swallowed up by the world.

Eric followed his lead and brought Sookie to sit with him on the couch across from Niall and Xander hopped onto the loveseat adjacent to them, chewing his stuffed wolf. Taking her hand, he examined the cut thoroughly, tossing a dark look towards Niall, before licking it clean.

Niall regarded Eric for a long moment, his face shifting to business once more, still his paternal kindness still shone through. Through steepled fingers he said, "Felipe will not be pleased. You have declared yourself. At long last."

"I have," Eric replied slowly.

Sookie was reminded strangely of a boyfriend getting the interrogation from a father on said boyfriend's intentions. Only she doubted that the boyfriend was ever one thousand years old and could destroy the father on a mere whim and had the means, resources and wherewithal to do it.

"On the subject of Dermot, I suppose I owe you thanks for keeping my great-granddaughter safe and taking care of a menace that my own were not able to. Though it was within your rights to reap punishment for his offence to you and your bonded, he was still my son. I would have preferred to punish him as per our custom," Niall said levelly.

"No punishment would have stopped him save death. You know this," Eric responded firmly.

Niall sighed, "He was my son. Surely you can understand that, Viking?"

Eric tilted his head slightly, "I can."

Sookie looked at Eric's profile, realizing the family he had with Aude one thousand years ago, the three children that had lived. She wondered how old they were when he left them, if he thought of them often. She pondered that for a minute and realized that yes, he had to have thought of them. Maybe not so often, but maybe from time to time. After all, a thousand years is a long time to hold on to a past life. He had probably let them go a long time ago though they still survived in the recesses of his mind, to be opened up like a box when needed be. From what she knew about Eric, she supposed it was like seeing that old stuffed animal in the back of your closet, the one that brought back pleasant memories and fondness, but he wasn't going to cry over it. If there was one thing about Eric, it was his pragmatic nature and his ability to move on as the world changed time and time again all around him. He was a survivor in the truest sense.

She often wondered what she was to him, a flash in his lengthy existence, something fleeting, gone in a moment's notice or did she hold more sway in him. Would he forget her when she was gone? Would she become a stuffed animal in the back of his closet?

Sookie laced her hand in his and Eric squeezed back. She smiled slightly at him.

She had always thought she wanted children, wanted to be a housewife, but she was beginning to think, after the past two and a half years, that it just wasn't her. Amelia was right. She did have more ambitions than to settle down and have kids. If she thought about it, she wanted a life for herself, not a culturally acceptable life that she should want. Maybe she would never have kids, but she wasn't sure if she really wanted children for herself after her recent traumas. How could she bear children into to a world like this?

She had chosen Eric though and as complicated as it was. She was happy. She knew that this was the place she should be, no matter how hard or difficult life got, because she could face it best with Eric by her side.

"I trust you to keep my granddaughter safe, Vampire," Niall said sternly.

Eric squeezed her hand and brushed a stray hair from Sookie's face, "Her life is my life."

Niall nodded, satisfied, "Good."

Gracefully, he stood and walked towards the loveseat that Xander was lounging in, shooing him off. Sookie couldn't help but snicker at the image of a fairy trying to get a dog off the furniture. Xander reluctantly complied with a whine and went to bury his nose in Eric's knees.

Niall brushed off a stray hair before composing himself on the loveseat.

"I suppose Eric has informed you of Sigurd and Aisling?" Niall said 'Eric' the way one does when testing out the name of a daughter's boyfriend that a father doesn't like very much, but was getting used to the idea of their relationship. Sookie thought it was slightly funny and knew that Niall probably regarded Eric as better than the rest of the vampires, but not by much. She appreciated the effort though.

"Yes," Sookie replied, curious as to what Niall would say.

"I suppose it is time you learned of the fae side of things. It is your heritage, after all and an important piece of our history. Sigurd and Aisling's relationship changed the fae more significantly than any event before or after it." Niall explained heavily.

"Our race here is fading, but it wasn't always so, nor does it need to be this way and Aisling's relationship with Sigurd is the reason for that," he began softly. "All of us fae can trace our lineage back to one family, the House of the Oak. As that family grew and expanded, their children formed many kingdoms and may lands, all independent of rule, but all under the House of the Oak. The importance and power of each house born from the Oak is measured by how strong its lineage is to that founding house and their allegiance to the King of the house, my grandfather, Inver. My father, Colas, was his favourite son and my half-sister, Aisling, his favourite of all."

"Aisling was sweet, kind, empathetic and strong willed, full of strength and vivaciousness," Niall said fondly.

"She sounds like a wonderful person," Sookie commented, patting Niall's hand.

"She was. I loved her very much," Niall said softly.

"She was spectacularly sharp witted with an acidic tongue. She was a force of will, a very force of nature and stubborn as hell. Gunnar was totally under her finger. I would have called him pussywhipped, but the term didn't exist and I'd probably be whipped myself," Eric interrupted.

Sookie couldn't help but snicker and Niall rolled his eyes.

Sookie heard something that sounded suspiciously like, "It takes one to know one," from Niall's mouth. She could have sworn Eric's eyes flashed at Niall, but the moment was gone when Niall continued with the story.

"As I was saying…Well, this part is rather difficult for me. It was a trying time in my life…"

A sad smile tweaked the corners of Niall's lips and Sookie noted it. Sympathetically, she took his aged hand in hers. Niall squeezed her hand gently before continuing the story of an old man.

"It was during our most sacred time of Summerhaven that Sigurd had been arrested and punished by Gunnar. Aisling's skill with potions was incomparable. She poisoned her handmaidens and escaped, evading us all to rescue Sigurd in your human world, beyond Faery. She knew full well to scorn the time of Summerhaven meant death among our kind, but she had forsaken us for Sigurd and her love of him."

"Inver was livid. He demanded upon us all that Aisling be hunted and killed on sight," Niall's voice quavered slightly in emotion.

"What he discovered following that was worse, Aisling loved and chose a vampire. She chose a vampire over all of us, her own kind," Niall sighed and slumped, the weight of thousands of years lining his face, reflecting in his eyes. "Helen of Troy was the face that launched a thousand ships, a war between Troy and Sparta. Aisling launched a war between a family, the fae and several worlds."

"My father loved three women. Siobhan was his first wife, a political match, a match that bore fruit and strength, but was emotionally vacant. She bore him Aisling, our greatest hope and beauty. Siobhan was the most powerful of all his wives, the most brilliant. Colas and Siobhan indulged each other and took on many lovers. Allowing a wife lovers was unheard of among our kind. Caitlin was his second wife, and most favoured. He loved her more than any of his other wives. Her heart was the largest of all hearts, very much like Claudine. She was my mother. So she could understand and sympathize when he found the love of his life, a human by the name of Fiona. Their love was violent and turbulent. It was toxic and could never be. Although brief, tumultuous and ultimately short, Colas loved her."

"I suppose all of us from the Sky would always be a blight for Inver," Niall said smirking. Sookie snickered softly.

"And it was for the love of Fiona that Colas stood against his father. And so The First Established House Born from the Oak, the most powerful house and kingdom, went to war with the fae. The blood spilled was so deep, so thick, Aisling promised to Calas and Sigurd to face punishment for her crimes to Inver. They would not have it. In the end, it did not matter what Aisling wanted, Calas made the decision for her, for the House of the Sky had one advantage above the rest of the fae. Our kingdom had the most powerful spell casters."

"You see, we fae were many worlds, vast, large and different. Our only link to each other was through this plane and the House of the Oak. With the power of our spell casters, the House of the Sky declared itself independent from the House of the Oak and sealed off ourselves from the rest of the fae. We broke off all their links to this plane and seized if for ourselves and only ourselves, to end the war and for Aisling."

"So you see, it's not that our race is dying. No, there are many of us fae out there. The House of the Sky and its child, the House of the Water are dying, the only two houses with access to this world, this plane. We are fading, because we cannot live together. Our fracture house wants to rejoin the Oak. And every problem we thought we saved by closing ourselves off returns again."

Niall took Sookie's hands in his soft, but worn ones, gently touching the place where her mark would be on her wrist. Looking into her gaze with eyes filled with emotion, he said, "So this choice you made, dear granddaughter, are you ready for it?"

* * *

Eric cast a critical eye over the papers, the numbers glaring back at him with no meaning. He groaned, letting his head fall back over his leather swivel chair. The last time he had been like this, it was because of his difficulty coming to terms with his emotions for one Sookie Stackhouse. So it was no surprise to him that his preoccupation was once again due to one Sookie Stackhouse. But for a completely different reason.

Their relationship had stabled, but their lives had not and the impending trip to Las Vegas was doing nothing if triggering deep set anxiety in Sookie. He could feel it rolling off her in waves when he was dead to the world for he woke up each night with the vague impression of it during his slumber. The source was undoubtedly her and the reason was undoubtedly the dangers that would follow.

He could see the stress creasing across her face, furrowing her brows. He could see it in the slight down turn of her lips, the way her shoulders hung as she walked and the tension in her back. He was well aware of her restless sleep, her dreams. Unfortunately for both of them, the only remedy to the situation would be the end of their current dilemma and that would not happen without the surging forward of whatever Fate had planned for them. Fortune's fool indeed.

She was currently lounging on the floor of the club, keeping Pam company. No doubt Pam was enjoying having someone listen to her snarky comments on the various bar patrons. Still, Eric could sense that Sookie was anything but preoccupied by Pam's blunt musings. No, anxiety was a thrashing about inside her and rolling off her in waves.

Eric knew expressly that part of it was his own doing for keeping her out of the loop as Felipe closed in. He could see a protest on her tongue and defiance in her eyes at every turn on that front, but her common sense, self preservation and trust in him was the only elements keeping a tirade at bay. He was under no illusion that he was on thin ice and her safety would only belay her tongue and keep her compliance for so long.

Eric could see a war in her eyes, another battle between her heart and her head. He could see her doubt, her fear. He could see her determination to believe in him growing thin. It was a strange thing to be depended upon, to have someone's trust. He knew beyond all else that he could not fail her. To fail her would be to lose her forever. She would never open up again and he had come too far to see what he had built with her crumble to dust.

"_So this choice you made, dear granddaughter, are you ready for it?" _Niall had said.

He had seen the fight in her eyes in that moment and a bit of sadness too as she replied, "You don't choose who you love and I'm tired of being without or not fighting because it's too hard or too difficult. I'm done with trying to avoid. I've tried that. It didn't work. I came out of it more hurt that before and I didn't get anything out of it but pain. It's time I take a stand."

"I hope it's worth it," Niall had said.

"Me too," she had said and Eric knew that he could not break her faith in him or in them.

It had taken a gargantuan effort, but Eric was near the completion of Fangtasia's books and payroll. He didn't get to be a thousand years old without learning a few tricks with compartmentalizing your brain. It was quite handy for a vampire.

Just as he hit the last key on booking and pressed enter, a knock sounded. Eric glanced at the antique clock on his desk and scented the air. _Ahh…Auguste, right on time. _"Enter."

"Eric, you work too much! Another long night! You need to take some time off. Go on vacation. Paris. Definitely Paris!" Auguste greeted warmly, as he stepped into the room and took in Eric's business.

"Who's to say I've been working all night up until you came in?" Eric asked with a smirk.

Auguste erupted in rumbling laughter, waggling his eyebrows, "She is beautiful, my friend, simply beautiful."

"Yes."

Auguste stood momentarily seriously and grinned, dropping a large packet of envelops on Eric's desk with a dramatic flourish, "Courtesy of your friends in Area 5 and elsewhere. Michael sends his regards. He is doing rather well, given the circumstances."

"Good for him. Did he say anything else?" Eric asked.

"He is still a not so pure little lamb. His papers are most interesting," Auguste revealed.

"Excellent. Are the preparations in place?"

Auguste's fangs ran out as his smile grew cold, "Of course, this year's Dracula Night will be bloody."

"And my vampires and those elsewhere?"

"Under your loyalty. We are ready, my liege," Auguste winked.

"Don't get cocky," Eric warned.

"Don't underestimate yourself," Auguste returned slyly.

Eric shrugged.

"I'm sure you have a plan for Vegas," Auguste replied confidently, "Something surely to be fun. In fact, I'm rather sad I'm going to have to miss it. But no matter, I'm sure I'll have as much fun here when that time comes."

"Next time, Auguste. I promise," Eric said good naturedly.

Auguste sighed dramatically, "Such empty promises."

"Did Pam tell you? California is in play," Auguste said almost giddily.

"Yes, she has. I believe we have reached an agreement."

"I await the night the swamps alight," Auguste said ominously.

"I figured it was about time," Eric replied with a smirk of his own.

* * *

"If they're going to attempt Morticia Adams, a Halloween costume is just so low brow, I don't know why we don't have a dress code," Pam pouted as she accompanied Sookie at Eric's table.

"That's because you would lose business and blood bags," Sookie said with a tired smile as she took a sip of her gin and tonic, "They taste fine, don't they?"

Pam sighed. This SO clashed with her idea of Fangtasia. They might be a themed bar, but that didn't mean it should be devoid of class.

"Just because they taste good doesn't mean they shouldn't look good either, like that eyesore in the corner. If she hadn't been saying it every second since she came in, I would never guess that she's supposed to be Elizabeth Bathory. You're going to do Elizabeth Bathory in a Disney princess costume? Really?" Pam bemoaned.

"Hmm? What's that?" Sookie asked with a yawn.

"That horrendous Elizabeth Bathory costume in the- You're not listening to me, are you?" Pam said annoyed as Sookie stifled another yawn.

"Sorry Pam, I'm just a little tired," Sookie apologized sheepishly.

"Oh, don't blame yourself, Eric has once again taken care of his needs before mine," Pam rolled her eyes.

"What!?" Sookie choked a bit on her gin and tonic, as Pam raised an eyebrow at the clumsy human gesture.

"Oh merely that Eric was inconsiderate enough to tire you out, thus removing some of my sources of amusement. Typical," Pam said sardonically.

"I'm sure you'll survive, Pam," Sookie said with a smile.

"I'm just going to go to Eric's office and lie down, okay?" Sookie said as she got up from the table.

"I'll have you know I can hear everything," Pam teased.

Sookie blushed a brilliant shade of red as she turned to go to Eric's office, revealing a smooth column of neck and some bare back.

_Delicious, _Pam thought, _Amelia could use some cheer…_With that, she pulled out her cell phone from somewhere in the folds of her _proper _Morticia Adams style dress with tight, black lace sleeves which had long trailing fabric that billowed from her wrists, a v neckline, leather corset and a long tight silk skirt with a dramatic train.

* * *

"Yes, Pam, you may leave," Eric replied with a smirk. He could tell that Pam was most definitely done with the work. His child was practically pouting.

"About damn time," she said, crossing her arms petulantly.

"I apologize for tiring out your fun," Eric said snickering, gesturing to Sookie, sleeping peacefully on his couch. He had covered her with his jacket. The human functions of her body were fascinating to him. Seeing the air enter her body and the regular movement of her chest as she breathed had become a comfort to him, something simple but magical in its own way.

Pam rolled her eyes, "No, you're not." Reaching into the folds of her dress, she pulled out a small, nondescript box, "This arrived for you." She placed the item on Eric's desk and then walked out of the office without another word.

"Good night to you too," Eric said after her. Pam sent him the 'talk to the hand' gesture without looking at him and walked into the hall, her train trailing after her. Eric laughed and entertained thoughts of slamming the door on her train.

Pam must have realized this because in a burst of vampire speed, she was out of Fangtasia. The next thing Eric heard was the engine of a Camry speeding out of the parking lot.

Eric was just closing down his computer when he heard a painful whimper escape from Sookie's mouth. His gaze darted to her and caught the jerking movements of her body, the tension on her face and sweat on her brow. Another nightmare.

With a burst of vampire speed, he was by her side. Eric pulled her into his arms tightly, stroking her back soothingly. "Sookie, lover, wake up, it's alright. I'm here."

She woke up with a jolt, her grey blue eyes snapping open. He could see the confusion there as she tried to figure out where she was. Disorientation, recognition, fear and then terror progressed through her eyes in rapid succession.

Her fingers desperately traced his face, needing him to be real, "Y-you were dead…Neave and Lochlan. They killed you." She began crying. Eric pulled her closer. "I had to watch. There was so much blood. Oh God. And Felipe spurred them on with Victor. They were laughing."

Eric cradled her head and pulled her closer, "Shh, it'll be alright, dear one."

Sookie's face darted from his shoulder, her eyes snapped to his. Her terror and fear was now combined with a big dose of anger, "You don't know that. You don't know that, Eric." Her head shook in righteous defiance.

"You won't tell me what you're going to do and we're stepping into the wolves' den for a huge trap! Dammit! I hate this! I hate feeling helpless. I hate that you're keeping secrets from me. I hate that you even need to. I have no control." Sookie exclaimed, near hysteria.

Eric cupped her face with both hands, stilling her. His thumbs brushed the tears from her eyes, "Do you trust me?"

"I can't lose you. I can't lose this."

"No matter what happens, you'll be alright. I promise. You'll be safe," he whispered.

Sookie smiled sadly, "If you're gone, it won't matter. There's no point."

"I need your faith," Eric said.

Sookie sighed, realizing for the first time, "You've always had it."

Eric kissed her forehead, looking at her softly.

"You can pack a stake. Your choice. Several, if you want. I hear you're a good stake handler," he said wryly.

Sookie laughed, a beautiful sound that relieved Eric greatly.

He thumb touched the corner of her mouth, where it turned upwards. He smiled, "There it is."

"I wish I still had that stake I killed Lorena with," Sookie lamented.

Eric snorted, "I have way better stakes. That _thing_ was crude. I have art."

"Oh, is that so?" Sookie returned.

"You know it."

"How exactly will I sneak one into a hotel full of vampires?" Sookie replied amusedly.

"Well, there are no such things as wood detectors," Eric began.

"What if they check my luggage? It's not I can tell them it's a tampon."

Eric leered at her, "You could always…"

Sookie punched him in the arm, "Don't even complete that thought."

"We'll just bring it and check it in and check it in if we must," Eric replied, smirking.

"It's that easy?" Sookie's eyebrow arched questioningly.

"Yes, all vampires bring weapons to gatherings. It's expected. If you don't, it's a strange and foolhardy," Eric explained.

"But when I went to Sophie-Anne's party, she had metal detectors and everything," Sookie said, confused.

"To weed out the amateurs. Most vampires are not my age, nor are all as clever as I am. There are ways…and besides, sacrificing your body for your monarch is the job of a guard," Eric continued. "Now, whether or not Felipe is going to make me check in my weapons will say a lot. He doesn't and he's overconfident, but he trusts me. He does and he doesn't trust me and he disrespects me, but he will be smart. Of course, he'll most likely try to lull me into a false sense of security."

Sookie sighed, "Vizzini's Logic Game. Vampire Politics Edition. Exactly what poisons are you immune to?"

"I don't make ingesting poisons a habit," Eric replied with a smile.

"When this is all over, let's go on a vacation," Sookie proposed.

"I hear France is nice. Paris. Ever been?"

Sookie shot him a deadpan look, "I have something in common with the senators in this country…No."

Eric tsked, "Now, we can't have that. I'm getting you a passport and then I'm taking you to Paris."

"Sounds like a plan," Sookie said with a watery smile as she stood up from the couch.

"Take me to my Gran's house?" she asked, biting her lip. She wanted the comfort and the familiarity. Yet, her choice of words did not escape Eric's interest. Did she consider his house home? He hoped so.

Eric took her hand and kissed it, "Of course. We'll change cars and hide the Lexus in the woods near your house."

* * *

The drive to Bon Temps had been relatively silent, save the soothing notes of some old Scandinavian inspired folk music Eric had playing that would have been perfect for a banquet he probably had when he could still eat human food and enjoy it.

He had flown Sookie to her Gran's house and upon arrival, settled in her bedroom. While she was in the bathroom taking care of her business, he had stripped off his clothes and stored his things in her closet. Yes, they were definitely cohabiting between their two houses now.

Currently he was sprawled out on her bed, naked. As if he would be in any other form. Sookie certainly felt such mirth as she came out in a long jade green silk robe with pink and white cherry blossoms on it, her face clean of makeup and her hair brushed and loose over her shoulders and back. She could feel Eric's heated gaze on her all the way. It didn't help that she was obviously braless and practically naked underneath. That was like dangling a steak in front of a wolf. Taking her black dress, she hung it in her closet before dealing with Eric.

"I just want to sleep, Eric," Sookie said rubbing her eyes.

Before she could blink, Eric was on her. His mouth was on her neck, his hands tracing her curves. Her body betrayed her, a moan escaped her mouth. You just couldn't win against a thousand year old sex god.

"Let me handle everything, lover," Eric whispered into her ear. As far as Sookie was concerned, that was a dirty move, especially when he kissed that spot just behind her ear.

"Mmmm…"

His hands were at the ties of her robe and then it was pooling at her feet, leaving her in her blue silk thong. At least she'd be relaxed enough to fall asleep.

Eric kissed her mouth slowly, sweetly and then she was on the bed. His lips kissed a toe curling trail down her body, to the edge of her panties.

"I like these very much. They match your eyes," he said to her. Oh yes, her panties were wet.

He slid them off her legs and then his mouth was on her sex and she was lost to the sensations of his pleasuring her. Playing her like a guitar, fingers dancing on her fretboard, he was simply a virtuoso.

When she had about as much as she could stand, he entered her in one long, smooth stroke and loved her slow and tender as he kissed her mouth with searing emotion and his hands worshipped her body.

When the orgasm came at last, after an age spent riding the precipice with him, she was spent, utterly exhausted and boneless, awake just long enough for Eric to tuck her into her blankets and gather her limp body up against him for snuggling.

"I love you," he whispered and kissed her cheek.

"Mmm," she snuggled deeper into his chest, "I love you too, asshole."

"You love my ass," he returned, but she was already asleep.

Eric smiled, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face, taking in her sleeping form. Reaching to the bedside table, he took the small box Pam had given him from behind her lamp. A small velvet box was revealed as he opened it. The ring hidden within was a marquise cut blood red ruby framed by three round diamonds on each side, arranged into triangles, and set in platinum.

Eric slipped the ring on her left ring finger with reverence, kissed her hand and then pulled her against him tighter, going into downtime.

He smiled wryly. She was most definitely going to freak out in the morning.

* * *

I find my biggest problem is just sitting down and writing…Plus, with everything going on, it's been hard to find time to write, I've been exhausted, but when I put myself to it and I get into it, it just flows. Like the Eric/Sookie dialogue in Eric's office. I had Alex winning Best Villain at the Scream Awards on the brain…hehehe.

Okay the next chapter? It's gonna be called Heaven Beside You, after the Alice in Chains song, for the lyric, 'Heaven beside you, hell within.' I love that contrast and the image. I think that sums up Sookie's feelings in the next chapter quite nicely lol.

Oh btw…I've been dropping bread crumbs all over. I always feel bad with these kinds of chapters, because they're transitional…but then it's like, hey, you are laying down groundwork…shit does happen…so…

Feedback is always welcome! Reviews are crack!

~simba_317


	7. Chapter Six: Heaven Beside You

**Disclaimer:** I have been neglectful and I know it. I'm sorry. I hope E doesn't punish me too badly lol. SVM does not belong to me.

**Author's Notes:** First of all, I know I have written a very long and lengthy story thus far, I will tell you that if you need a cliffnotes refresher, skim the important things Eric and Niall have revealed about their histories and the plot details about the mythology. It's going to be IMPORTANT.

This chapter is called Heaven Beside You after the Alice in Chains song of the same name. It's a reference to the lyric, 'Like the coldest winter chill/ heaven beside you, hell within'. I thought it fits in with the opening scene with Eric being the heaven beside her and the hell within being Sookie's mind about everything. I had a couple ideas for the chapter title, I can't remember them now…but this one fit.

Another something that really sort of inspired the second scene for me towards the end was definitely the play, _Scorched_, just the idea of the way a mother loves a child. It made me wibble writing it. The Crème Egg thing? I HATE them. The centre is waaaay too sweet. I love Mini Eggs though. Bok bok! And it's almost Easter.

I also finally switched to Microsoft Word 2007...so bare with me...lol.

One more thing, I've backed up my fics at EricNorthman(dot)net. FF. net will still be my primary home…but I'm there too.

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX: HEAVEN BESIDE YOU**

Birds chirped a song in protest of the morning chill as golden sunlight streamed through gaps in the curtains and venetian blinds, casting long rays of warmth across her room. Sookie stirred restlessly against the cool sheets of her bed, awaken by the conversation of the birds outside her window. The morning light made it impossible for her to continue sleeping, but her limbs felt heavy against the tangled sheets.

In her half conscious state, she rolled to her side. Her arms sought out Eric instinctively, only she was slightly disappointed to come up empty. Still, his scent enveloping the sheets made up for it. She settled for cuddling the blankets to her chest and inhaling his scent, cocooning herself inside in order to doze for a few more minutes. As her mind drifted to the night before and the sweet way Eric had put her to bed, she smiled dreamily.

Of course, the world kept moving all around her and she had no choice but to join it.

Rubbing her eyes groggily, Sookie made the executive decision to get up by tossing her blankets off her still naked body. She wasn't about to let the day go to waste and besides, she had promised Amelia that she would attend her doctor's appointment after all. No, it was time to wake up, even though she regretted throwing off her blankets due to the chill of the room. Regardless, she hopped out of bed and hustled into the bathroom. Turning on the water in the shower, she made sure to run it hot.

The steam curled all around her and Sookie scrubbed herself clean to wake up from her Eric induced, post sex delirium. She sighed with a smile, thinking of him, feeling slightly regretful of her current actions. However, with the noses on the supernatural beings she associated with, she hardly appreciated being sniffed and everyone knowing of her sex life and Amelia had decided to go with Dr. Ludwig, who already had a well known contempt for vampires. Part of her wanted to crawl into bed, sleep all day and wait for Eric to wake her up using his preferred methods, damning the consequences. Yet, despite it all, she felt good, blissful.

When she finished, Sookie swiftly dried off, brushed her teeth and rubbed on some moisturizer, disregarding her distorted reflection on the steam covered mirror. Feeling refreshed, she tossed on her clothes, feeling casual with a pair of dark jeans, a t-shirt and a black zip up hoodie which featured a graphic pattern of lotuses. After accompanying Amelia to her appointment with Dr. Ludwig, they were shopping which was hardly a time for anything dressy. Besides, Amelia wielding a credit card without a limit was a dangerous thing. Between Amelia and Eric, she could never win, she thought wryly.

Humming the fleeting notes of "Patience" by Guns N' Roses, Sookie padded into the kitchen as she haphazardly arranged her damp hair into a bun. The kitchen was awash with the scent of bacon and eggs as she entered. Amelia had really gotten into a cooking kick since her pregnancy, something Sookie couldn't say she complained about. It was nice being fed by someone else's hand.

What Sookie did not expect was the Tupperware container that came flying towards her face from one Amelia Broadway.

"Here, I made it to go," Amelia explained in a rush, grabbing her purse and keys, "I already ate. Oh, here's a juice box."

Sookie eyed what appeared to be slices of toast stuffed with eggs, bacon and cheese. A homemade Bacon Egg McMuffin without that horrible English muffin. Nice.

"I know you had another late night with Eric. He drop you off last night or is he still in the hidey-OHMIGAWD SOOKIE!" Amelia exclaimed as she turned from the counter and leapt towards her friend.

"What?" asked Sookie, her brow crinkling.

Ignoring her, Amelia flung towards Sookie and pulled her into a tight bear hug, "I'm so happy for you! I never thought you would get your act together this quickly with Eric, but I'm so glad you've figured things out and are this committed to each other and that you love each other so much!"

Pulling her back, Amelia allowed Sookie to catch her breath.

"What the hell are you talking about, Amelia?" Sookie asked, completely confused.

"Tell me all about how Eric proposed to you with that radiant ruby, you silly goose!" Amelia replied with a smile.

"HE WHAT!?" Sookie squeaked. Her eyes bulged as she took notice of the aforementioned radiant ruby resting innocently on her left ring finger.

"Oh shit…" Amelia gasped, her hands covering her mouth.

"I can't believe he'd…the GALL! Dammit!" Sookie cursed, before letting out a heavy sigh, "I don't even know what any of this really means." She began pacing restlessly around the kitchen, her hands gnashing about as her nervous energy took over her body.

"What do you mean?" Amelia asked.

"He wants to marry me? We've never even talked about marriage!" Sookie blubbered, as the panic set in.

"And the whole knife thing was what? Interpretive dance?" Amelia responded wryly, raising an eyebrow.

"I never considered that a marriage marriage, Amelia and Eric knows that. The bastard said the whole vampire marriage thing could be whatever I wanted it to be, which looks like a whole lot of crock and bull right about now! What the hell was he thinking!?" Sookie raged.

"Well, hold that thought and take it on the road, because we're gonna be late, Sook," Amelia suggested, tossing Sookie her red coat.

Yes, anger was better than the feelings of doubt bubbling to the surface. Again. Every single time she thought she'd gotten somewhere with Eric, he'd pull some sort of stunt like this which made her question her trust in him. Was it so hard to talk to her, to discuss their future together? Couldn't he include her in making his decisions? How could they have a future together if he never let her in, if he never let her pilot their life together with him? Didn't he know by now that all she wanted was to be included? To have a say?

She could understand why he wouldn't tell her about his plans regarding Felipe, but this stunt was just unacceptable. He had worn her trust in him thin with their impending trip to Vegas, but now this? How could he do that? The newly found faith she had in him was so tenuous already. Besides, this was about their relationship and he didn't' even have the decency to ask her to her face. Did she give him too much rein?

The worst of it? The bastard knew she would have an entire day to stew.

"Okay, okay…the baby, right," Sookie took some deep breathes, calming herself, "Maybe it's another one of his lavish, way too expensive, over-the-top gifts?"

"Umm…on your ring finger, with that stone and that cut? I don't think so," Amelia replied.

"Sooo not helping, Ames!" Sookie groused, following Amelia out the door.

* * *

"Oh, I suppose congratulations are in order," Dr. Ludwig said with thinly veiled disgust as she glared at the ring on her finger. She could fathom why someone would marry a vampire. After all, her job was to tend to the living and keep them that way. She was a guardian of the natural order of things, life until death. Unfortunately, Vampires were always the anomaly which went against her entire job.

"Um…I…uh…" Sookie stuttered.

A pregnant pause filled the air, broken by the glooping noise of the cold gel landing on Amelia's stomach.

Sookie settled for a smile, knowing full well it was the one that got her labelled 'Crazy Sookie.' Damned vampire.

Dr. Ludwig harrumphed and turned back to her task at hand, smoothing out the gel on Amelia's stomach with the sonogram's apparatus.

"I love him," Sookie said, feeling the inexplicable need to make Dr. Ludwig understand her choice.

"Of course you do," Dr. Ludwig replied, tonelessly.

"I do," Sookie asserted, "He's the one for me."

"If you like cold, dead and lifeless, sure. You seem like a nice girl, Miss Stackhouse. It's not yet too late to change your mind and sever your ties to the Vampires, you know."

"You should know me well enough by now to know that I don't abandon my friends. Don't you have the Hippocratic Oath or something," Sookie sneered, annoyed.

"The vampires are good friends, yes, if give them what they want. If you do, you're rewarded handsomely, but you will find that their favours and whims are as fleeting as cherry blossoms and shift as unexpectedly as a tropical storm. You know this. Your scars may be gone, but you bore the pain of your vampire's relationship a month ago and only good fortune has knit you back together. Yet, here you are. Settling, for someone whose mind is quiet, whose life is gone, along with his ability to create it," Dr. Ludwig observed cuttingly, "As for the Hippocratic Oath, it is something trifling created by the humans for humans and I am no human."

"You don't know a damn thing about me or Eric! He's stood by me, so have the other vampires. Humans, weres, they've never done that for me," Sookie replied with her voice rising and her face growing red. She could feel her body shake with wrath. How dare Dr. Ludwig judge their relationship? It was between the two of them and no one else.

"I thought you'd use a spell or something. I mean, Octavia told me-" Amelia babbled, trying to keep the peace. Luckily, Dr. Ludwig cut her off.

"Oh, I could, but that's 150 extra. You of all people should know how much energy it takes to something like that," Dr. Ludwig admonished. "Plus, I'm finding a blend of technology and more…holistic methods work best these days." Taking the apparatus, Dr. Ludwig pressed it against Amelia's belly and slowly coasted along her skin as both pairs of eyes stared fixedly on the monitor.

"Here we are," Dr. Ludwig announced, pointing to a figure on the screen.

"It's my little bean, Sookie!" Amelia exclaimed excitedly, "Isn't it precious?"

"...Yeah, Amelia," Sookie replied, her throat tight with pain, "it sure is..."

There on the grainy screen in the cold, sterile room was the undeniable beginning of life, a fluttering heartbeat, the formation of a mind. A child.

Amelia's fingertips brushed the screen of the sonogram machine in wonder and reverence. She barely heard Dr. Ludwig's diagnosis. "Hi, baby."

Sookie could feel her breath become shallow and the sting of tears threaten her eyes as Amelia obliviously took her hand in bliss. She would never know what it was like to have a life grow inside her, never get a sonogram image of a little bean, never feel such a wondrous connection to another human being... There would be no first smiles, first words or first laughs. No diapers to change, no sicknesses to care for, no knee scrapes to soothe. No preschool, no prom, no graduation, no moving away... She had made her choice. Why did it have to hurt so much? Wasn't his love alone enough?

"The baby is approximately 12 weeks along and healthy. The heartbeat is strong and regular. All signs of development are normal," Dr. Ludwig pronounced.

Here it was, the relentless rhythm of life pounding against her, an endless cycle that she would not take part in. She had withdrawn herself. Could this new beat satisfy her?

How could it be so unfair? Even he once had a family, children. Even he experienced it, but she never would. Was it so bad to want it, even as a selfish cure for her childhood?

"The bean'll be half-Were...Will the baby be normal? Will my baby be able to make half transformations?"

"I'm afraid we won't know the extent of the child's abilities until it hits puberty, but given that Tray was a very strong werewolf, his first son's abilities and your abilities, a wide range of possibilities could occur. The child could be like Tray's first child whose powers are mostly latent, or it could have abilities close to a full blooded werewolf, given your abilities," Dr. Ludwig revealed.

"What do you mean? I've never heard of witches having any real ability to pass on their power to their children by birth. Our power is mostly learned and then harnessed through our own skill and ability," Amelia frowned, her brows scrunching.

"That would usually be the case...but as I said earlier, I find a technological and holistic approach to medicine is best. Your bloodwork showed up nothing unusual than perhaps a little anemia. Using magic, I was able to ascertain something much more interesting. Your lineage was revealed to me. You are descended from a long line of witches who were actually able to pass on their abilities through their blood by birth. Your powers are probably latent, but given that your child will be half-were, I would say that all bets are off with it," Dr. Ludwig predicted.

"The Kingdom of the Night...?" Amelia asked after a pause.

"Yes," Dr. Ludwig said as she appraised Sookie with a hard glance, "There are a strange many coincidences and gatherings of late involving them..."

Despite her anguish, Sookie raised her chin defiantly.

Shaking her head, Dr. Ludwig got back on task, "Would you like to know the sex?"

"If that's alright," Amelia replied.

Dr. Ludwig put the sonogram apparatus away and began to murmur a soft chant as she slowly placed her hands on Amelia's slightly protruding stomach.

Amelia paid no attention to the ritual, for nothing could capture her attention more than her child on the screen.

"You're beautiful and perfect, baby. I'll always love you," Amelia whispered, staring intently at the sonogram image.

"You'll be a great mom, Ames," Sookie said, trying to smile and not cry as she squeezed Amelia's hand. She hoped Amelia didn't pick up on the change in her voice and her breathing.

Unfortunately, Dr. Ludwig's gaze caught hers for a moment. She had the decency not to say anything, but Sookie hated the pity on her face.

"A boy," Dr. Ludiwig announced finally.

"A boy, just like Tray," Sookie said numbly as her eyes glistened, "Congratulations."

"I bet you'll be just like your dad, baby. I'll tell you all about him and how much he would have loved you. I'll tell you how he was brave, loyal and courageous. I'll tell you about his motorcycles... I'll love you with my whole heart and maybe that will be enough," Amelia whispered through trailing tears.

* * *

The elegant figure reflected in the mirror before her was strong, regal, beautiful. She was put together and knew what she wanted out of life. Draped in a slinky backless blood red dress that hugged her curves, she appeared confident and vivacious. It simply could not be helped in the dramatic floor length cut of the dress that flared and extended into a train at her feet or the daring v-neck that showed off her ample cleavage. The satin dress had straps that crossed between her shoulder blades with a knot. She looked as luxurious and classy as a 1930s film star.

Inside, she was anything but.

"So what do you know about boys?" Amelia had asked and so launched an epic shopping spree. A shopping spree Sookie wanted to take no part in.

"I want to know all about them!" Amelia squealed in her glee as the pair strolled along the Shreveport shopping district. Amelia was by and large an only child and any advice was welcome.

"Well, I dunno, Ames, I've just got Jason," Sookie replied as levelly as she could, "I didn't even start dating until I was 25!"

Oblivious to Sookie's pain, Amelia exclaimed, "Well, you're still ahead of me in one department. I want to know everything!"

"And I can always tell you the other stuff about dating," Amelia added mischievously, "I think you've been pretty much ruined for anyone else after Eric though…"

"Yeah, Ames. He's up there, definitely. His ego definitely doesn't need the boost though," Sookie said politely.

Amelia cackled loudly in response, her vicelike grip on Sookie's arm excused due to her excitement. Besides, Sookie could hardly deny Amelia this joy, especially given Tray's recent death. Amelia deserved to be happy. Sookie couldn't rain on it.

"Ohmigawd! That onesie, Sookie! Isn't it the most adorable thing you've ever seen!?" Amelia shrieked as she darted to an adorably decorated storefront window. Her nose was practically pressed against the glass, her breath creating condensation. Baby Mania was stencilled on the door.

The smile she displayed facing Sookie then was of an absolute, pure joy and elation, a great thing of beauty. Only Sookie could not enjoy it.

"We're going in and then after this, we're getting you those dresses!" Amelia ordered executively.

"Okay, Ames. Wait up and don't scare the store clerk!" Sookie admonished with as much excitement as she could muster.

So now here she was, standing in front of the mirror as the biggest liar the world had ever known and everyone had to know it.

What was wrong with her? Couldn't she just be happy?

For all she knew, they would all die within the next three days if Eric's blasted plan didn't work. It simply wasn't logical to want that, want what Amelia had right then at the moment. It didn't make sense for the life she chose and yet, she could barely hold herself together on the inside.

Had she always been a shell of strength, a hard exterior to mask a delicate centre? Was she a Cadbury Cream Egg? A pretty hard chocolate shell, nice and tasty filled with a disgustingly sweet cream centre that was only suitable for being spit out? Eric liked the chocolate now, but the pretty shell would melt. It'd only last so long and then all that was left was that unbearable inside that was sure to be thrown away.

Before another moment of contemplation could pass, Amelia burst through the curtains of the dressing room with no consideration for her personal space.

"That's the one, Sookie! That's your ball gown. It's perfect!" Amelia screamed elatedly.

"You think?" Sookie asked softly, in sharp contrast to her vivacious friend.

"I know! Eric is gonna flip and devour you whole," Amelia confirmed.

"Not that he doesn't do that already," she amended with a smirk, "You look like a movie star."

"I'm gonna be attached to his arm all night…and not by choice," Sookie joked.

Amelia chuckled, "Isn't that the point given the situation?"

"Yeah…but I don't exactly need him to be more overbearing…"

"He wouldn't be Eric if he wasn't," Amelia replied.

"I'm just happy that we've finally found something. It's been hours," Sookie complained.

"Oh, hush," Amelia admonished, "After this, we can find your shoes!"

Sookie groaned and Amelia shot her a mischievous wink, drawing a glare from Sookie.

"I still have to go home and pack, you know," Sookie reminded Amelia sternly. She would be leaving with Eric tomorrow for the perils of Las Vegas after all.

"Do you really want to spend that much time packing for your impending doom?" Amelia asked sarcastically.

"Yeah. About that, I don't understand why I'm even going to need this dress if I'm going to die," Sookie replied with just as much vitriol.

"That's because you've gotta be hot when you die," Amelia cackled, before waving over the petite red headed attendant. "We'll be taking this dress."

"That's an excellent choice! It even matches your engagement ring. Your lucky man won't be able to take his hands off you all night!" the attendant complimented.

"That's the plan!" Amelia informed conspiratorially.

"Thanks!" Sookie replied, smile tight on her face. She didn't know how much longer she could pull it off. And she was just so damn sweet. It simply wouldn't do to bite the poor woman's head off. Or any of the other sales associates who had noticed her ring today…and they were many. "Now all I need is a cocktail dress."

"Oh! Well, I've just put out a new shipment that just got in today. Be sure to check it out. It's out front. Between you and me, there are quite a few that are going to be charged with my employee discount," the saleslady advised.

"Sounds good," Sookie replied, when all she wanted to do was go home, put on her sweats and lie on her couch with _Buffy_ and a pint of ice cream.

"I hope this isn't being too nosy…but are the dresses for your wedding? We've just got a great new bridal selection that should come in sometime next week to add to the killer one we already have," the clerk said perkily.

"Oh…uh…"Sookie started, but her tongue caught in her mouth and a lump formed in the back of her throat.

"Well, these are just for a business trip she'll be taking with him, but we'll be sure to remember that for when we're planning the wedding!" Amelia rescued, noting the frown on the redhead's face light up into a grin.

The redhead told Sookie she'd put the dress at the cash register once she was done with it, while Amelia went dress hunting. Sookie had the faint suspicion that she had dashed out in order to blindside her with some dress she would never even consider wearing in a million years. Amelia loved pushing her out of her comfort zone when it came to fashion. It wasn't something Sookie enjoyed often. After all, Amelia's soccer mom appearance was quite deceiving. When the time called for it, she would dress quite provocatively…in belts masquerading as skirts to show off her legs.

She had just taken off the red stunner when Amelia burst through the curtain her dressing room again.

"Amelia!" Sookie cried, doing her best to cover her breasts. Why couldn't they go to a boutique with doors for dressing rooms?

"Nothing I haven't seen before, Sookie," she smirked before tossing a swathe of fabric into her hands and slipping out of the cubicle.

Untangling the fabric, Sookie bristled. "This is NOT a cocktail dress!" Sookie she cried, her voice travelling into the hall. She heard the rustling pages of a magazine before Amelia answered.

"Just try it on!" Sookie could swear she was cackling.

"You expect me to go into the enemy nest dressed like this?" Sookie squeaked.

The sound of a magazine landing on a heavily stuffed couch reached Sookie's ears. "Try it on or I'll go on a hormone induced rampage!" Amelia threatened.

Sookie groaned. "Fine. Fine…dammit."

Relenting, she opened the clasp securing the thick black crew neck collar on the dress and slid it on. Strangely, she felt more naked with the dress on than she had with it off. For one, the vibrant purple dress was completely backless and practically revealed her butt crack. In fact, she was currently sporting some serious whale tale with her thong and that thing was already ridiculously tiny. Secondly, it was short. There would be absolutely no bending over whatsoever in this dress. Her breasts weren't spilling out but they weren't exactly covered either. Under the thick, beaded collar was a delicate shear panel of black lace wildflowers that revealed ample cleavage. There was really no way to hide a bra, not even an adhesive one. The soft satin fabric was thin and loose and pleated on the bodice to emphasize the shape and style of the dress that reminiscent of 60s mod fashion. Had it not been for a pair of thin strings of beads that attached from the back of the collar to the fabric under her armpit on each shoulder, Sookie would be afraid of flashing side cleavage or an entire boob.

Despite how revealing it was, Sookie had to admit that she felt and looked hot.

"Dayam, Sook," Amelia whistled from behind her.

"Amelia, you really gotta stop that," Sookie sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Whatever, but you are so whipping out that dress in Vegas. You need to. It's the dress that breaks a thousand fangbangers out of disillusionment. It's the power dress, kill dress! Hell, it's a fuck me dress!" Amelia pressed and Sookie lost all hope of ever breaking her habit of bursting into dressing rooms.

"Okay." Only Amelia continued rambling.

"And you're married to Eric! None of the vamps can touch you. It's a 'you can't have this' dr- Wait! 'Okay?' Really?" Amelia asked perplexed.

"You were right about it," Sookie admitted.

"Repeat that again, Stackhouse," Amelia pushed.

Sookie sighed. "You were right. It's my…uncocktail dress," she conceded.

"Uncocktail dress. I like that," Amelia said, tapping her lip and smirking. "Now lose the thong. No whale tailing and no wedgying. It's unsightly."

"So I'm walking into the demon nest with no underwear?"

"You might as well fly by the seat of your pants. You only live once. Seize the day," Amelia advised.

"So you're saying that I should go into the tiger pit with no underwear because there's a real possibility I'll never get to do it again?" Sookie surmised.

"Yep."

"That's pleasant," Sookie deadpanned.

"Enh. Anyways, Pam will be pleased."

"Ugh. She put you up to this, didn't she?" Sookie deduced.

"Yep. The dress comes with a built in 6'5"ish Viking vampire that will scare everyone away," Amelia reasoned.

"You mean it will inspire him to not to stray more than two inches away from my side?" Sookie translated.

"That too."

"Right, now we just need a few things that are more cocktail than uncocktail and we can blow this joint," Sookie sighed.

"Right. We need to get started on the shoes," Amelia said, "I'll be right back…after I grab a burrito. There's a place across the street and I'm craving beans for some reason…"

"Right…I'm beginning to understand why you're starting to show."

"I gave up trying to lose the moping weight awhile ago once I found out it was a baby," Amelia patted her belly fondly, "Besides, I might as well let my waistline go down in style…Right. Beans."

Soon enough, after Amelia's quick excursion, they had left the store with an emerald green, one shouldered knee length Grecian dress along with a charcoal grey strapless cocktail dress with a sweetheart neckline and a thick black velvet cummerbund around the waist, moving to the shoe store. By the time they had picked up a pair of black platformed pumps made of patent leather and a pair of strappy gladiator heels to wrap up their shopping trip, Sookie was exhausted on top of being extremely emotionally wrought.

Accompanying a pregnant woman to a doctor's appointment, knowing it would never happen for her, along with the stress of the pending trip to Vegas, on top of a constant bevy of people pointing out her boyfriend's latest stunt had simply worn her thin. It was nice to have a break from freaking out over the implications of her ring, but it still gnawed at the back of her mind constantly. Her mind was a mess, but all the others saw was the damn ring on her finger or some beautiful dress. Had she become so good at fooling everyone else? Was that all she'd ever be? A shell of happiness encasing an abundance of turmoil?

Oh, and she'd only had a breakfast sandwich the entire day.

"Hey, Sook, being pregnant is hard work and I feel the hunger of two…Wanna go to Merlotte's for some dinner?" Amelia asked.

An emotionally wrought day in Shreveport and now a small town diner where the entire problem-filled populace of Bon Temps would be holing up for beer? "Sure, why not." It's not like it could get any worse.

* * *

"Jason!" Sookie exclaimed in surprise as she looked over Amelia's head from where she was seated in a booth. From the bottom of her vision, Sookie watched Amelia's head spin towards the entrance. Her brother had just walked into the bar, looking a little worse for wear, his hair shaggy and his face in desperate need of a shave. His wife and baby had been murdered and he had aged in the eyes. They no longer bore the laughter and innocence he had carried into adulthood from his youth. It saddened her.

This was just perfect. Just when she was starting to enjoy her evening. She had caught up with the girls at the bar and Sam too. Sam had just brought over their orders of southern comfort food, blackened catfish and gumbo with rice and beans. The menu of Merlotte's was being expanded and they were currently doing test runs of new items. The old classics, like the Burger Lafayette would remain though. Sam had figured it was worth it to shake things up a bit due to the recent coming out of the two-natured. Everything seemed to be changing around her. Nothing was waiting for her to catch up. Nothing cared for her approval.

"Sookie?" Jason stuttered as he wandered timidly towards Sookie and Amelia's corner booth, "What are you doing here?" Sookie could feel the eyes of the entire town on them, watching the exchange in rapt interest. Great. Knowing Maxine Fortenberry, this would make it to Monroe by noon.

"I happen to work here," Sookie answered with snark, "Right now…I'm eating dinner with Amelia."

"I thought you were still at Gran's…you know, getting better…" he said sheepishly. Well, this was new. "I'm glad you look alright."

"Thanks," Sookie said shortly.

"Aww, Sook," Jason sighed, "Don't be like that."

"I'm just not in a mood to deal with this tonight, okay. I've got a lot on my plate right now," Sookie replied heavily.

"So when is? I don't know about you, but my wife and unborn child were murdered. I could have used your support," Jason accused.

"Well, where were you when I needed you?" Sookie replied with equal venom, "When I had my 'accident' you came to see me once and then insulted Niall! He's important to me…important to us! He's…" Sookie took a quick glance around the restaurant, noting the rapid head movement away from their direction. Great.

"Guys…" Amelia warned, her head pivoting between the siblings and the enraptured audience.

"You know what he is to us, Jason…" Sookie replied firmly. They really didn't need nosy citizens digging into Niall…

Jason shot Amelia a look and she quickly scooted over, giving him room.

As he plopped down into the vacant spot, Jason said, "Look, Sook, I don't want to fight. It's been hard for me. I guess I've had my own things to deal with, but we're all the family that's left now…"

"Okay," Sookie said.

"Really?" Jason asked hopefully.

"Yeah," Sookie confirmed, "We can talk later." If there was a later. She had to admit she didn't want the last thing for her brother to remember her by to be anger and spite towards him.

"Right now, you can just join us for dinner," invited Sookie.

Jason nodded and as if on cue, Holly ripped herself from Hoyt's side to take his order.

"Uhh…I guess I'll try the chicken fried steak," he ordered, upon Holly's request, "Oh and bring a pitcher of-"

"Jason, I hate to be a party pooper, but do you really need that right now?" Sookie asked. He seemed like he'd seen the bottom of a shot glass one too many times. Shot glass, beer bottle…the bottle of any number of hard liquors…

Jason sighed, "Bring me a coke, Holly."

"Will do. Y'all need anything else?" Holly asked before heading back with Jason's order.

"I think we're good," Amelia replied.

"Are you okay, Jason?" Sookie asked, taking in Jason's appearance critically. He looked like he'd slept in his t-shirt.

"I will be," Jason replied, "Soon…"

"What about you?" he asked, his eyes darting to his sister's hand. "You marrying that big vamp of yours?" With that signal, Sookie once again felt the eyes of every patron of Merlotte's concentrated on her. Great. Just what she needed, more people to come after her. Sometimes she wondered why she didn't just carry a bright flashing red sign over her head. One that said, 'This is a weirdo. Destroy.'

"Kinda already am…" Sookie admitted in a soft whisper.

"And I wasn't invited to the wedding!? Sook, how could you! You know it's my job to walk you down the aisle!" Jason exclaimed, upset.

Sookie cringed. "Dammit, Jason," she cursed. This day just kept getting worse and worse. Now everyone knew she was married to a vampire. She was officially off the market to these people and the worst thing? It wasn't a wedding she recognized. Even though she couldn't see herself with anyone but Eric, the misinterpretation of the nature of their relationship by others bothered her. She was still coming to terms with what they were to each other.

And now brains were buzzing all around her, jumping to conclusions about her, Eric and their relationship. False ones, insulting ones, disgusting ones…She hated it. Hoyt wondered why such a nice person could wind up with vampires. His mother thought she had finally crossed over to being a fangbanging whore. Those that had seen her at Fangtasia and knew of her and Eric's relationship wondered why he could want a fat, unattractive bitch like her. Their minds were full of jealousy and hate. Her head was spinning with the onslaught of thoughts.

Fucking Eric…

"I can't believe you went ahead and eloped," Jason admonished.

"It wasn't that kind of wedding…" Sookie said, attempting to explain.

"Well, are you married or not?" Jason asked bluntly.

"We're married but…um…you see…" Sookie struggled.

"They have a common law marriage," Amelia explained, jumping in.

"Yes!" Sookie said, finding the term 'common law marriage' appropriate. It was a good way to put it.

"So you still have to make it official?"

"Yeah." Hell yeah.

"You're still gonna have a wedding?"

"Maybe?"

"Oh good." God forbid Jason Stackhouse didn't get to perform his brotherly duty by walking his baby sister down the aisle.

"You tell me if that sunovabitch don't treat you right. I'll take care of him if he don't. Put a stake right through his heart," Jason vowed.

"Well, Jason, you can certainly try…" Sookie said, with a wry smile. She certainly wouldn't mind that ass getting a death threat right about now.

"Sook, he breaks your heart and I'll break him," Jason promised.

He checked the room around him to make sure there were no nosy ears, snooping where they didn't belong. Luckily, the patrons of Merlotte's were well accustomed to the Gossip Acquiring Dance and hurried their attentions back to their meals or drinks. His mission accomplished, Jason whispered, "You know I'm a werepanther now…I can take him."

Sookie was about to reply, but Sam dropped off Jason's chicken fried steak for him, along with a coke, while Holly looked about sheepishly.

"Here's your chicken fried steak and a coke, Jason. Tell me what you think when you're done, 'kay? You know about us expanding our menu, right?" Sam requested.

"Oh yeah, Sam. Will do. This looks delicious, by the way," Jason replied as he eyed his steak hungrily and dug in.

"Thanks," Sam said, before turning to Sookie, "You mind coming back for a bit, cher? I've been meaning to talk to you…"

Sookie groaned internally, but tried to keep her discontent off her face. _Channel Eric_, she told herself. "Yeah, sure, Sam," she said and followed him back to his office, feeling the eyes of every customer at her back. God, she hated being their entertainment and this was high drama for them. It was better than a soap opera. Crazy weirdo gets herself in a car accident, gets even more weird, elopes with her vampire lover, reunites with her estranged brother, who finds out that she's only in a common law marriage with her vampire lover and still has to make it official and then goes to talk behind closed doors with her boss who has been bearing a torch for her for years? You couldn't make this shit up. You made popcorn for it.

Sure enough, once they were inside Sam's office, he closed the door.

"Take a seat, Sookie," he said. God, she missed that catfish. She sure was hungry.

Sookie sighed and plopped onto one of the chairs in front of Sam's desk. Before he could utter a word, Sookie said, "Look, if this is about Eric, it's my decision and I l-"

Sam let out a short laugh dropping down into his chair, "No, Sook. I know you love him. I know…he loves you too. In his way. He makes you happy. Although, if he ever breaks your heart and I'm teaming up with Jason… I still wish you weren't so deep in bed with the vamps, but it's your choice and I know Eric can and will protect you better than anyone…but I want you to know that I'll always be here for you for whatever you need. Please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks Sam," Sookie replied, "You're a good friend. The best. I don't deserve you."

"Nah, Sook. You deserve the best…and I guess congratulations are in order?" he said, gesturing towards her ring.

Sookie groaned and clenched her eyes shut, "You could say that?"

Sam only laughed harder, "You two…"

"What is it you wanted to talk to me about, Sam?" Sookie asked, irritably. She hated being a punchline.

"Look, I know things have changed, Sook. Usually, you'd be back in days, working with a vengeance even though you really shouldn't…" Sam began.

"I can't deny that," Sookie acknowledged with a smile.

Sam smiled back at her, "You've got your life with Eric now…and I've always known that you were more than just a barmaid and I'd only have you around until you realized that for yourself."

"Sam…" Sookie protested.

"No, Sookie," Sam pressed, "You are…you're more than a barmaid. You always were. I guess what I'm trying to say is that…I know it's time for you to move on, but please don't feel guilty about it for my sake. Like I said, you deserve the best and it's high time you took it for yourself. I'm just here to help you on your journey."

"Sam…just…Thank you," Sookie replied, her eyes misting over. She was truly lucky to have a friend like Sam.

"You got any plans?"

"I'm thinking of going to university, but…I just don't know how much longer my journey is going to last." She felt so drained.

Sam began to speak, but Sookie stopped him. "It's bad. It really is. I can't lie to you, Sam…but I can't tell you everything," she said, and suddenly she knew what it was like to be in Eric's shoes, to keep secrets from the people she cared about to keep them alive, so they wouldn't be used against her, so they could have their lives and their hopes and dreams…

"It's Felipe, isn't it?"

Sookie nodded. "Just know that Eric is taking care of me. He'll keep me safe. As much as I allow… I made the choice to be with him and there are consequences. I know what they are, but my life would be worse without him in it. I've been living without him for too long, wasted too much time and I'm done with not having him in my life. I don't know what I'm going to do if we get past all this…but I know Eric will support me in whatever that is."

"I just hope it's worth it, cher," Sam said, patting her hand, looking sad.

"Me too, Sam. Me too."

* * *

The ride home from in Amelia's car was uneventful. The Corvette wasn't exactly practical or comfortable for their day's errands and Sookie didn't think Eric would appreciate any pregnancy related accidents in his car. Regardless, Sookie couldn't get back fast enough, if only to escape all the staring eyes, gossiping whispers and buzzing minds full of hateful thoughts. Besides, there was still the matter of a certain high-handed, stunt pulling, in-deep-shit Viking vampire for her to deal with. And she knew with absolute certainty that he was up and about. It was full dark and she had felt Eric's smugness the moment he rose for the evening all the way from Merlotte's. Bastard. The poor piece catfish never looked the same after.

As soon as they entered the house, Amelia retired to her rooms upstairs. Her only request was for them to keep it down. Sookie just rolled her eyes and used the blood bond to hone in on Eric, trampling towards her room with noted aggression in every single step. The floorboards protested her heavy footfalls.

Roughly, Sookie threw open the door, storming into her room.

"Just where do you get off-" she roared, but to her annoyance, Eric silenced her with a long finger to his devilish lips. A smirk quirked their corners and further infuriated Sookie.

His bare back had been turned to her and the only thing he was wearing was a pair of black lounge pants. He had turned quickly upon her very noticeable entrance to face her and reveal a cranberry coloured Blackberry attached to his ear.

Eric's smirk broadened into a smile noting the expression on his face when he gestured to an outfit he had laid out for Sookie on her bed for her to wear at Fangtasia, after he requested her silence. Her expression could kill the balls of any other man. He was certain of it.

It was a nice momentary respite from his conversation.

"So what would make Elsa happy, Michael? …Tell her I'll think about it. …Of course I'm not budging. She just doesn't need to know that. You and I both know she's requesting more than she's expecting to receive in return. …You do that. I'll expect another update on her soon. …Yes, with the same line and the same protocols. Have you received Auguste's latest papers? …Can you reach the outlined objective?"

Sookie narrowed her eyes as she caught snatches of Eric's side of the conversation. Super secret vampire stuff. Of course.

"This is not over," she seethed, turning on her heel and pulling clothes out of her drawers and closets, disregarding the outfit Eric had laid out on her bed.

His eyes twinkled as he nodded and returned to his phone conversation as Sookie went into the bathroom.

"You think I'm in trouble with my girlfriend? Probably. Most likely," Eric replied into his cell.

Sookie had just finished pulling on a pair of tight black jeans with a black leather belt that featured an intricate floral belt buckle and a blood red silk corset embroidered with black roses, when the doorbell rang. What now?

Exiting the bathroom, as she hooked the last few eyes together down the front of her strapless corset, noticing Eric's fangs pop out in appreciation. _Eat that, asshole, _she thought as she grabbed a black velvet blazer and left her bedroom.

She was just finishing throwing on her blazer, when she opened her door, revealing none other than Bill Compton on her darkened porch.

"Fuck my life," Sookie exclaimed.

A look of confusion crossed Bill's gaunt features as his brows crinkled and his head tilted.

"Never mind, Bill," Sookie sighed, "Please, come in."

"If you don't mind, I'd rather stay out here on the porch…I don't plan to stay long," Bill explained.

"Oh, of course," Sookie replied. Grabbing her red coat with the tortoise shell buttons, she followed Bill outside. Taking his lead, she sat next to him on the porch bench.

He looked a lot better than the last time she saw him when she visited him about a week ago. Pam had finally deemed him safe enough for humans. It was also at that time that she'd given him the green light for survival. Mostly, Sookie gathered that Pam was relieved that she didn't have to babysit Bill anymore. This was the first time she'd seen him going out and about though. However, his movements were slow and cumbersome. He was still very weak and could be easily hurt in any manner of ways, from draining, staking to abduction…Take your pick. He was also still getting his blood delivered. It seemed the Fangtasia vamps were taking turns. Sookie had seen Thalia nearly hidden behind the steering wheel, driving down Hummingbird Lane when she was coming home.

"What is this about, Bill?" Sookie asked curiously when the silence had stretched a little too long. Bill seemed to be taking the time to form his words.

"I'm leaving Sookie," he said at last, letting out an unnecessary breath. His gaze stayed fixed ahead of him, staring over towards the trees and beyond, to the cemetery that separated their two properties.

"Bill-" Sookie began. She didn't know why, after all that time, after all that he had done, she wanted him to stay. Maybe it was because too much was changing and she didn't want it punctuated by the lack of his presence across the cemetery.

"No, Sookie. Please, let me speak," Bill implored, taking her hand gently and looked into her eyes earnestly. It was the face of the man she once loved, once cared about above all others. She had once hoped he would be enough…but now that she thought about it, Eric had always been in the back of that picture.

"I am glad that you are happy, but I have not the heart to see it with another. I need to find for myself what there is for me in this world and I can only do that if I leave. I can see the places where I played with my brother, met my wife, lost my friends and last saw my children…I can see where I walked with you… There's too much here that is familiar. It's time I looked forward instead of backwards. It is time I go," he said softly and Sookie could understand what it meant to be haunted by your history. There was too much of that in Bon Temps and she wasn't over 150 years old. She could only imagine how much worse it was for him.

"I understand," she whispered, feeling slightly teary. He had been the one who had set precedents for her in relationships.

Bill smiled sadly, "You were always more than I could possess. I think I always knew it, but I couldn't help but try and fight against it."

"Regardless, you were always slipping from my grasp from the moment you met him. The harder I tried to fight against it, to hold you tighter, the further and further away you slipped. In my heart, I always knew it would come to this when you went to him in Jackson. When you saved me, I knew he had taken possession of you. Your heart was his. I knew then I was your interim."

He chuckled slightly, as if remembering something silly, "No one likes to feel that way and I can't say I handled it well."

"No, you can't," Sookie smiled, remembering Selah. At least they could joke about it now.

Patting her hand, he stood up and gave her a small smile, "Eric makes you happy. He always will. I will always look to our times together with fondness. I hope you can one day do the same."

Sookie stood up as well, nodding. "Where will you go?"

"Europe. England first. I have some friends there and it will be easier to do my research. They keep such impeccable records. Eventually, I'll go to China," Bill explained.

"The records?" Sookie asked, smiling.

"Yes," Bill confirmed, smiling as well, "If you ever need me, please, contact me. The last thing I want is for you to think that I'm…What's the term?" Bill struggled, "…Bailing on you? Yes. Bailing out on you when things are getting tough around here."

"I understand, Bill. Really, I do," Sookie said, "You do what you have to and maybe I'll see you around some day.

"Goodbye, Sookie," Bill whispered, placing a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"Goodbye, Bill," Sookie replied, but she was speaking to the wind.

Just like all the times past. How typical. Sookie grinned.

As quickly as he had entered her life, he had left it. For now at least.

* * *

"How was your day?" Eric asked Sookie sullenly.

"Fine," she replied in monotone, staring at the scenery flying past the windows. It was just plain irritating. He felt like he was talking to a brick wall. The one word answers and the short meaningless phrases were just plain frustrating. Not to mention, he had been feeling her moods all day. It made the long drive to Fangtasia and Shreveport even longer…even given his driving speed.

Fucking Bill Compton. She'd gone from buzzing to despondent in about fifteen minutes. Oh, and the whole thing with Felipe requiring his time. He'd lost valuable time on the phone.

"Fucked up, insecure, neurotic, emotional?" Eric asked smartly.

At least that got a glare out of her.

"I'm waiting for an answer here…" Eric fished impatiently.

"Would it make you feel better if I said 'yes'?' Sookie returned sarcastically.

"No," Eric replied as she went back to staring out the window.

As she brushed a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear, Eric noticed his ring glinting on her finger. He couldn't help but smile a little. She hadn't taken it off. Sookie took note of his expression and quickly caused his joy to evaporate with a well placed glare in his direction.

"What happened?" Eric asked with a sigh, knowing he couldn't win.

"Let's see, my high handed, stunt pulling, arrogant and obnoxious vampire boyfriend decided that my sleep would be the best time to spring a ring on me. I had to accompany my friend and roommate on a doctor's visit regarding her pregnancy which sent her into baby bliss, which by the way, really sucks even when you choose to not have kids. Not to mention Dr. Ludwig giving me shit for our relationship. And then I spent fucking hour trying on dress after dress in a gazillion fucking stores while all the fucking sales associates all pointed out said ring and assumed I was engaged. What the hell do you say to that?" Sookie raged.

Noting a response the tip of Eric's tongue, she continued furiously, "Don't you even start. I'm not even done! Who should be at Merlotte's when I went over for dinner but Jason. And why should he be concerned about anything else going on in my life other than not having had the opportunity to walk me down the aisle…because that's his job! Sam's pretty much given up because he probably thinks I'm in too deep with the wolves. I attempt to confront my fucking boyfriend, but he's too busy with super secret vampire business because we could all be dead in two days. And to top it all off, my first boyfriend is leaving because it's too painful to be around me."

"Are you finished?" Eric asked, his features tense.

"Yes, I'm done. Happy?" Sookie replied cuttingly.

"No. You're upset," Eric replied.

"No shit!"

"I don't like it when you're upset."

"That's great, Eric. Really helpful. Have you considered doing a daytime talkshow? You could call it _Sucky Advice from a Vampire_."

"Would you let me speak, woman!?" Eric exclaimed frustrated, nearly running over a pedestrian with his Corvette.

Surprisingly, Sookie paid no mind to his latest traffic violation, staring at him intently instead. Gesturing with her hand, Sookie said, "Go ahead, then. Please."

Eric rolled his eyes, a gesture that looked comical on a vampire, especially one as old as him. "Can I do anything for you?" Pam would have a field day with him if she could witness him now.

"That's very sweet, Eric," Sookie said in a falsely saccharine voice, "but no."

"That's it," Eric growled. Increasing the speed of the Corvette exponentially, he then pulled the handbreak and turned the steering wheel sharply to the left, making a very illegal U-Turn.

"What the fuck!?" Sookie exclaimed as Eric broke several traffic laws before finally coming to a stop in a very packed line for a carwash.

"What the hell are you doing?" Sookie shrieked.

"Getting a carwash," Eric replied dryly.

"Who goes for a carwash when they're about to go and be trapped in a foxhole and eaten alive?" Sookie cried, her eyebrows peaked.

"Vampires. You know, the same people who decorate said foxhole with ridiculously expensive shit and want people to look beautiful when in said foxhole," Eric replied calmly, "Besides, I can't have Felipe drawing some false conclusion about me based on the condition of my car, now can I? Oh, and it's touchless. They're so hard to find around here."

"Oh God," Sookie groaned, rubbing her temples.

"You don't even have the code," Sookie observed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Eric chuckled and made a show of reaching into the cup holder and removing his cell phone. After punching in some numbers, he made sure to face Sookie as he spoke some phrases in German. Sookie just rolled her eyes, as Eric finally switched to English.

"91428 for the code? Yes, just charge my account. Thank you very much, Rolf," Eric said and then hung up, dropping his phone back into the cup holder.

"Whatever shall we do while we wait in this ridiculously long line?" Eric said wryly.

Sookie took a peek behind her. Eric's maniacal driving had not deterred five cars from lining up behind him. They were well and trapped inside the line. "You knew full well that the lines are always long at this time," she accused mildly. The gas station had a special on carwashes after 8pm on Mondays.

"Of course, dear one. Talk to me," Eric implored.

"Answer me first," Sookie requested.

Eric nodded his assent.

Holding her hand up for Eric to see the ruby ring, Sookie asked, "What _is_ this, Eric? What the hell does it mean?"

"Well, it's not an engagement ring. I assure you that if this were to be an engagement ring, it'd be obnoxiously large," Eric replied with a grin.

Sookie snorted, "I figured as much. Now explain."

Taking her left hand, Eric brought her wrist to his lips. Placing a kiss on her pulse, he let his fang nick the skin and revealed the glowing red Amaranth to her. "You committed yourself to me and I value it more than you can imagine," he began, "but one of your biggest fears has always been my commitment to you. My age, my power, my status, my…experience…It all makes you insecure about yourself and where you stand with me. I know that you are confident in my commitment to you in theory and logic, but you need something else, something physical, a reminder…"

Gazing at the disappearing marking fondly, he stroked it with his thumb, "Something that won't fade, something to take with you always. For the days I cannot be with you."

As he turned to look into her eyes, his blue depths piercing her deeply with the honesty of his emotion, it didn't matter that they were parked in line at the carwash with the bright fluorescent lights, giant signs and tacky ads. "Something to remind you of my commitment to you, that you have my heart in your hands."

Leaning over the seat, Sookie kissed his lips sweetly, running her thumb over his cheek. "Thank you," she whispered.

"That and I can't have others chasing after you, now can I?" Eric joked with a smile as he rested his forehead against hers.

"There you go, ruining a moment again," Sookie sighed, but she couldn't help but smile.

"You could have just asked me to wear it, Eric," Sookie continued.

"Well, I couldn't be certain that you wouldn't be half way to New York by now if I pulled out a ring out on you," Eric teased.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

Eric snickered, before saying sincerely, "You needed to accept it on your own."

"Why do you have to be so smart?"

"How else could I put up with you?"

"So you're putting up with me, eh? You know, I hear Quinn is in Vegas…" Sookie teased.

"I'm not even going to dignify that with a response," Eric replied and Sookie chuckled.

"You're still troubled," Eric observed, "What's going on?"

Sookie let out a long breath, "It's just everything happening. Everything changing. Work…I basically got encouraged to quit by Sam. He understands… Bill leaving…But mostly, Amelia having a baby, Tray's baby boy. I know it'd never be possible for me. I made my choice. I can't bring a child into this world that would be hunted down, tortured, killed, just for who I am, who its parents are. I couldn't do that to a child, my child. I wouldn't be able to bare it. I couldn't go through that... But I guess having the possibility completely taken away and thrown in my face with Amelia...It hurt."

Eric wrapped her in his arms and pulled her into his body, before saying, "I don't think any less of you and I never will. We can't help what we feel, no matter what logic should dictate for us."

"I know, I guess I'm just coming to terms with the end of my childhood dreams and fantasies, those pretty little ideas and notions…" Sookie replied, snuggling into his shoulder.

"It's never easy to let them go."

"No."

She didn't know how long Eric held her, but only two cars had moved in front of them and she could feel his tedium keenly. "You're bored now?" she said disbelievingly.

"This line is not moving…it's frustrating."

Sookie giggled. "Poor you… Seriously, you're over a thousand years old and you can't wait ten minutes in line for a car wash? You're unbelievable."

Eric broke the embrace, but kept his arm wrapped around her, "You know what we could do to pass the time?"

"What?" Sookie asked with a shriek as Eric unbuckled her seatbelt and pulled her into his lap. His mouth descended quickly on hers and his hands wandered her body in a very overfriendly manner. Her coat vanished from her body and Sookie couldn't deny him. She'd missed him all day, craved him in the back of her mind. It simply felt too good.

Eric was fervently working on getting a hickey onto her neck when a car honk stilled Sookie's passions.

"Eric, stop it! Everyone can see!" Sookie hissed.

"So, I haven't been loved all day. I don't care," Eric replied petulantly.

Somewhere along the way, Sookie had been repositioned to straddle Eric's lap. His erection was grinding deliciously into Sookie's core. She gasped. Suppressing a moan, she said, "Pfft. You brought that all on yourself and you know it."

"You're a cruel woman, Sookie," he mumbled from between the breasts. He had began to unhooking the hooks and eyes holding her corset together in the front, revealing even more cleavage to his hungry eyes. She guessed he was finished with that hickey.

Hooking a finger under his chin, she brought his eyes to hers, "With your heart in my hands. Don't forget it, buster."

Eric smirked at her, his fangs running out. "Never," he said, before returning to her mouth, sucking her bottom lip. His hands trailed to her ass, helping her grind his rock hard erection better. One of her hands was tangled in his hair, pulling sharply, while the other one scraped his arms roughly.

Just as she moaned, a green light came on over the garage door of the carwash. Eric growled.

"Hold that thought, lover," he said as he moved the car forward. Sookie was paying particular attention to his neck, nipping it roughly and Eric could barely remember the code as he opened the driver's side window and punched it in.

Once they were safely situated inside the carwash chamber and the water began to pour in thick sheets over the car, Eric opened Sookie's belt. "Well…now that we're alone…"

"Eric! We'll be out in 10 minutes!" Sookie shrieked, trying to push his hands away.

"If Rolf knows what's good for him, he'll keep me in here until I'm damn well ready to leave," Eric hissed before popping open the button of Sookie's jeans and pulling down the zipper.

Slipping his fingers inside her panties and finding her soaking wet, he groaned, "So wet for me, lover," before pulling his fingers out of her pants to spread her juices onto the tops of her breasts.

"And so delicious," he panted as he licked her juices off her breasts.

Sookie couldn't help but be completely turned on by the erotic display. She had began working on popping open the buttons of his black shirt and red silk vest, wanting to feel the full expanse of his hard, naked body in addition to his relentless mouth and talented hands. His slate grey jacket with black pinstripes had long been open.

Even though the chamber of the carwash had a large window, the pair was obscured from view due to all the water and soap coating the Corvette. Furthermore, the car's windows were fogging up from their heated passions and why not? Her body was on fire for him. She burning, being consumed by his flame and she never wanted it to stop.

Having released enough hooks on her corset, her breasts finally spilled out as he pulled it down. His teeth nibbled the aroused peaks of her nipples while his fingers mimicked the action on her clit, pinching it between his fingers. Meanwhile, Sookie's hands busied themselves with releasing his hardened length from its painful confines in his pants, making sure to stroke it with every attempt, driving him mad.

At last, Sookie's warm hands wrapped around his pulsing naked length, stroking and squeezing, causing him to grunt and pull her pants and underwear off her ass, finally allowing his painful erection to enter her tight pussy.

"Fuck," he cried as his fingers dug into her hips as he began pumping into her hard.

"Eric!" Sookie cried, knowing she wouldn't last long. There was just something about fucking in a public place…and not being well concealed. She could feel the orgasm building inside her with every thrust of his hips. Her walls were clenching and his thrusts were becoming more and more sporadic. They were so close and she craved release so badly…

Too bad that was the exact moment that the window of the carwash chamber was shot out by a spray of bullets.

"Fuck," Eric cursed for entirely different reasons as his and Sookie's heads darted to the remnants of the window. A pair of black SUVs were revealed and mounted on top of each vehicle was a large machine gun over its sunroof with a lackey to do pull the trigger happy.

"Oh shit," Sookie whispered.

* * *

I hope you liked that concession speech from Bill. It was written during the summer sometime. I think I wrote a week or two after starting this fic, just in part though. I guess I wanted to do justice to what the relationship was for both of them and regardless of what I feel about them personally. They were never meant to be, but they were together, once upon a time.

And I had originally planned to show the conclusion of the whole carwash scene…but I figure I'd let y'all stew lol.

I'm sorry that this took so long. It kept on getting pushed back. I was going to finish it before New Year's. Then, before January ended, the February…and now March…Real life things happened. I got busy. I'm going to try my damndest to get the next chapter out faster though.

I feel kinda rusty writing this chapter, especially during the editing. It could be because I was super tired and wanting to reach my before April 1st deadline…but I don't know…I kinda feel like it was missing some oomph during editing. That might change eventually.

Chapter 7? How about Welcome to the Jungle? I think it fits…it's definitely time for adventures in Vegas! I had wanted to call it Cradle of Love, after the Billy Idol song…but I think I'm filing that one for later…another mythology heavy chapter, maybe.

I'd love to hear from y'all! Drop me a line!

~simba_317


End file.
